Asian Middle Eastern and African American Influences Inspire Drexel Students in Annual Fashion Show

Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design will host its annual fashion show Saturday, June 4. More than 30 senior and graduate collections from the Fashion Design program will grace the runway at 4 and 8 p.m. at the Urban Outfitters Corporate Headquarters (5000 S. Broad St).

The show features eveningwear, men’s and women’s wear, sportswear and swimwear, children’s wear, lingerie and more with students drawing inspiration from the artwork of Basquiat, the poetry of Maya Angelou and music of Miles Davis.  Japanese motifs, Tokyo street wear and the rural country sides of India and Morocco also were sources of inspiration as students created their collections for this year’s show. Fashion design students begin the research for their collections in the fall and spend the next seven months creating pieces that exemplify their vision. Each student illustrates and then creates the patterns and final garments with great precision.

The annual fashion show is produced by Design & Merchandising students and highlights the works of the graduating Fashion Design class. Tickets are $25 for the 4 p.m. show and $50 for the 8 p.m. show and are available at www.drexel.edu/westphal.  A reception will follow the 8 p.m. show.  
Student collections will be eligible for awards from Abercrombie & Fitch, Burberry, Destination Maternity, Dick Blick, John Wind, Lagos, Nicole Miller and Shehu.

Judges for this year’s fashion show include: Bela Shehu, Shehu; Claudia Larsen, Carole Hochman Designs; Daniel Weisback, Burberry; Frank Agostino, Agostino; Jayoon Jeong, Jayoon Jeong, NY; John Wind, Maximal Art; Lisa Hendrickson, Destination Maternity and Mary Dougherty, Nicole Miller.

The fashion show is produced by Westphal College Design & Merchandising students who create an impressive production to rival professional shows. The Design & Merchandising students also produce a lifestyle and trend publication, d&m magazine, which is distributed to all who attend. DUTV, Drexel University’s cable television station, which is carried in the Philadelphia region by Comcast and FIOS, will record the Fashion Show for broadcast at a later date, with production handled by Cinema and Television students.

About the Fashion Design and Design & Merchandising Programs:
The undergraduate and graduate Fashion Design programs in Drexel’s AWCoMAD are nationally recognized. The rigorous curriculum includes a unique six-month co-op experience that complements coursework in conceptual design, presentation skills, CAD and manufacturing procedures. During their last year Fashion design students create collections that personify their vision to present at The Drexel Fashion Show. The show features their work on professional models and attracts an audience of 2000 people.

The Design & Merchandising program prepares students for the challenges of the businesses of design. Students learn to create and merchandise fashion and design products, and also obtain practical knowledge in the areas of marketing, promotion, production and distribution.  Each year students create d&m, a four-color glossy magazine. Students also produce the annual Senior Fashion Show.

About the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design:
Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design offers sixteen undergraduate and five graduate programs in media, design and the performing arts. Programs are taught in small studio settings, featuring hands-on learning and an award-winning faculty of industry practitioners who emphasize the use of the latest technologies. Westphal College is home to the Mandell Theater, the Pearlstein Gallery, Drexel’s television (DUTV) and radio (WKDU 91.7 FM) stations, the Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies, MAD Dragon Records and Drexel’s Historic Costume Collection.  Allen Sabinson is the dean of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. For more information about the College, go to: www.drexel.edu/westphal.  

News Media Contacts:
Alex McKechnie, News Officer, University Communications, 215-895-2705 or amckechnie@drexel.edu
Zeek Weil, Director, Communications and Events, Westphal College, 215-895-2629, zw36@drexel.edu