Finalist from San Francisco Announced in Nationwide Fashion Design Contest
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(Oct. 15, 2009) - Local student, Dallas Coulter, will represent The Art Institute of California - San Francisco in The Humane Society of the United States' fifth annual Cool vs. Cruel Fashion Design Competition. Cool vs. Cruel challenges students enrolled in The Art Institutes Fashion Design programs throughout North America to improve a runway look by Burberry, Thakoon, Michael Kors or Alexander McQueen, by finding creative ways to replace and reinterpret the use of animal fur.
Originally from Rochester, N.Y., Coulter designed a floor-length gold satin gown with black lace overlay; plunging front and back necklines; a black faux-fur shrug with jet Austrian crystal embellishment; and black beaded appliqué with jet Austrian crystals at the center front. The faux-fur shrug is wired to give it more volume and structure and an architectural feel. The ruggedness of the fur, coupled with the femininity of the lace, creates a very flattering contrast.
"Think Lauren Bacall in ‘The Big Sleep' or Mary Astor in ‘The Maltese Falcon,'" says Bo Breda, academic director of fashion design at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco. "Dallas did an incredible job translating her inspiration of old Hollywood into her antique gold gown with black lace overlay and beaded motif. Dallas really rose to the challenge of creating an anti-fur garment with the separate structured faux fur neckpiece embellished with gunmetal crystals and black sequins."
Coulter is among the 16 local finalists who were chosen out of more than 100 entries to compete for the top prize nationally. Their entries will be judged by a panel of fashion industry judges including designers Marc Bouwer, Charlotte Ronson, Victoria Bartlett, Nick Friedberg and Elizabeth Olsen; magazine editors Dana Wood, Mickey Boardman and Shelly Vella; and renowned fashion photographer Nigel Barker. The grand-prize winner will receive a trip to New York City for the award presentation on Nov. 11, as well as an expense paid, weeklong internship during NY Fashion Week with celebrated fur-free designer Victoria Bartlett.
"This contest allows future professional designers to show major designers like Michael Kors or Alexander McQueen that not only is fur unnecessary, but that there are more creative and aesthetically pleasing design options on the table for those with an innovative eye and a compassionate fashion philosophy," said Sarika Reuben, deputy manager of the HSUS' fur-free campaign.
Learn more at humanesociety.org/coolvscruel or http://www.artinstitutes.edu/pr.aspx?ID=ai1007.
Media contact: The HSUS - Heather Sullivan: 301.548.7778; hsullivan@humanesociety.org
The Art Institute of California - San Francisco - Jennifer Tomaro: 415.276.1030; jtomaro@aii.edu