Marymount University’s
Portfolio in Motion 2012 student fashion show promises a glimpse into a Gilded Forest, where the line between reality and fantasy blurs. The enticing setting will showcase inspired fashions by Marymount Fashion Design students and alumni.
Eileen Fisher will receive the Marymount University Designer of the Year Award at the show on Thursday, May 3, at 8:30 p.m. in the Rose Benté Lee Center on the University’s Main Campus, 2807 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia. A cocktail reception, also in the Lee Center, will precede the show at 7 p.m.
Students in Marymount’s
Fashion Merchandising program will produce a show set in a whimsical forest setting, where magical things occur. Carolina Cruz ’12, the specialist of Administrative Management for Fashion Show Production, explains “When I envision a gilded forest, I think of a fantastical forest of trees with small touches of gold—just enough to evoke a feeling of magic and mystery. At the same time, there is a natural green element that produces a warm and organic experience. Actually, since we chose the theme, I have had several dreams about walking through this magical place!”
Choreography, music, and lighting will showcase the presentation of jury-selected fashions by Marymount’s Fashion Design students. It is the seniors’ first opportunity to display their own lines, which they design and sew themselves. Kendra McCullough encapsulates the sentiments of the senior designers, saying, “Our senior lines are the big finale of our study here at Marymount, so we want them to be the most exciting, but also reasonable. Both the creative and business aspects should be taken into account from here on out. Our designs must reflect our own vision and creativity, but also translate into sales!”
Garments by
Fashion Design underclassmen are featured, as well. And, for the first time ever, the fashion show will include designs by Marymount fashion alumni. Professor Janice Ellinwood, chair of the Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising, says, “It’s exciting to include fashions by the graduates who are marketing their own designs and making a name for themselves, based on the strength of their creative talents and their academic preparation.”
Marymount’s Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising programs are unique in the Washington D.C. region and are increasingly recognized within the industry and by the public. A highlight of the evening show will be the presentation of the Designer of the Year Award to Eileen Fisher. This honor is presented annually to a designer who has achieved excellence in the field and has captured the imagination of both the fashion industry and the public. With a background in interior and graphic design, she launched EILEEN FISHER, INC., in 1984, with a vision for simple, timeless, comfortable women’s clothing. Her "wardrobing concept" began with four simple shapes cut in high quality fabrics. Today Eileen Fisher has 58 stores in 18 states and two countries. The founding design principle—that a garment should be timeless and transcend a moment in fashion—still guides the design team.
Tickets for the May 3 reception and show at which Eileen Fisher will be honored are $100. For sponsorship opportunities and ticket information, contact
Suzanne Catucci – 703-526-6814. For press inquiries, contact
Laurie Callahan – 703-284-1648. Additional student shows will be held on May 4 and 5 at 8 p.m., with a ticket price of $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit
Portfolio in Motion 2012.