Design students embellish on global inspirations

Fourteen fashion students are already hard at work on their designs, in anticipation of Palomar’s spring fashion show called Moda: Global View.

The design collection class, which is listed as Fashion 90 in Palomar’s course catalog, has been meeting every Friday all semester. The class walks students through the design process, from start to finish, and allows them to create and sew their own garment designs.

Instructor Ken Imaizumi explained that the class builds upon skills, such as sketching, sewing and merchandising, which students have acquired through previous classes. The design collection class gives them the opportunity to refine these skills.

Imaizumi said this is the first time where students have to create the instructions for themselves on how to sew the garment because they’ve created the garment. They’re trying to figure out what special sewing techniques the fabric choice requires.

At the beginning of the semester, each student was required to present 20 sketches, a mood board and written explanations that identified the target customer and the theme of the collection. The next step was to select between five and 10 of these sketches to bring to life.

Students must complete a minimum of three head-to-toe outfits during the semester, but the fashion department will accept up to 10 from each designer, Imaizumi said.

He added that there is a little competitive aspect to it. Not all of the completed designs are featured in the show. According to Imaizumi, each design is evaluated and edited by fashion department faculty and the fashion show production class.

Imaizumi said it’s a very aggressive course, where the students have to do the creative work, the merchandising work and then the technical work

For the most part, however, students work at their own pace. During a class in mid-November, they were in various stages of garment construction.

Christian Howard, 29, made patterns and pieced them together. She mentioned that she had just bought her fabric earlier that week.

“I’ve got a lot of sewing ahead of me,” she said.

Across the room, Christine Blum, 29, finished her third completed look.

“Every two weeks, I try to evaluate where I’m at and (I) need to re-evaluate my goals if I haven’t completed the task,” she said. “It kind of keeps me on track.”

Blum, who has been sewing for about ten years, emphasized the importance of a modern, tailored look for her ready-to-wear designs. She said she hopes that her collection gives spectators an appreciation for attention to detail.

Imaizumi said that while most of the garment construction for the show happens in the design collection class, students can also work independently to add finishing touches and create additional designs throughout the Spring semester.

As its name suggests, spectators at Moda: Global View can expect to see a variety of ethnic and cultural influences. Imaizumi cited wildlife, floral and historical themes, based on the work he has seen so far.

Howard said that her collection has an antique garden theme. She described garments reminiscent of Edwardian, Victorian and Rococo styles, with fitted waists, full skirts and petticoats and unusual necklines.

“I took inspiration from a lot of flowers and Japanese Lolita fashion,” she said.

She said she hopes her collection draws attention to alternative fashion choices that are not as well-known as mainstream fashions.

This year’s designers also differ significantly in their motivations and skill levels.

Sho Anada, 21, is working with a fabric that he designed in soft green, orange and red florals. His collection will feature women’s skirts, shirts and vests. He said he chose to focus on women’s active wear because he does not like the shape of dresses and doesn’t feel that he has enough technical experience to create a men’s collection.

Anada explained that he has been sewing for only one year. He added that he originally enrolled in fashion courses at Palomar to make friends, but would now like to return to his native Japan to become a chef instead.

Howard said she took her first sewing class in 2006, but has not sewn much since then. She recently began taking fashion classes again and is working to re-establish her knowledge.

“I love designing because you get to see your creations come to life,” she said. “I originally came here to be an artist, so now I’m taking all my drawings … and I’m making something that’s actually real. People can wear it and I just think it’s one of the most amazing, fun things in the world.”

Moda: Global View is set for 7 p.m. on May 8, 2015 at the California Center for the Arts Concert Hall in Escondido. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 or $15 at the Palomar College or California Center for the Arts box offices. They can also be purchased for $20 at the door. For more information, contact the Palomar College Fashion Department at (760) 744-1150 ext. 2349.