From a High School Class to Runway Fashion Shows

Casey Cooper of Greenfield, Ohio was recently named the local first place winner for The Art Institute of Indianapolis in The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition. He placed first in the local fashion design category. The high school senior at Greenfield McClain High School earned a tuition scholarship in the amount of $3,000 to study Fashion Design at The Art Institute of Indinapolis.

In addition to his tuition scholarship, Cooper will progress to the National Passion for Fashion Competition where his entry will be judged against other local winners from throughout North America for the Competition’s grand prize, a full tuition scholarship to an Art Institutes school and a VIP trip to New York City to attend runway shows during Fashion Week and meet staff at Seventeen Magazine. The panel of judges for the National Passion for Fashion Competition include: Suede, contestant on Project Runway Season 5; Eva Snopek, fashion designer at Calvin Klein; Patty Hughes, of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Ashley Granata, Marketing Manager at Style.com; and Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist, The Art Institutes.

“This is very exciting for me coming from a small town,” said Cooper. “Many people didn’t believe in me until I won this competition. They now acknowledge that I have talent and know, as I do, The Art Institute of Indianapolis will allow me to grow and hone my skills to succeed in the fashion industry.”

According to Fashion Academic Director Natalie Swindell of The Art Institute of Indianapolis Cooper’s design was the complete package. “Casey has a good understanding of the design process,” said Swindell. “He did his research, created an original design and followed through with his concept.”

The theme of this year’s Fashion Design category is evening wear. In the Fashion Design category, students were asked to create innovative and wearable designs for evening events. In the Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management category, competitors created concepts for fashion marketing, merchandising and retail management plans.