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Designer and CEO of Franci Jewelry to speak virtually via debut of GCC Fashion Episode Oct. 21

By Press Release

Submitted photo and press release:

Eleven years ago, Nicole Davis (top photo), CEO, designer and Buffalo native, created Franci Jewelry from her kitchen table. Since then, her extensive collections have been featured in prominent fashion weeks around the world including New York, Los Angeles and Paris, worn by celebrity clientele and also published in several national and international magazines, which includes the likes of Vogue Italia.

On Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 11:30 a.m. Davis will share her story virtually through GCC's Fashion Episodes. To watch Fashion Episode 20:1 Franci Jewelry with Nicole Davis, visit https://zoom.us/j/4147496187

All are invited to hear this self-proclaimed "mompreneur" describe the growth of her business, the importance of understanding one's target markets and making intentional, appropriate business decisions that match that target market.

This episode is the first of its kind made available by the Fashion Program at Genesee Community College. The Fashion Program has always been a flagship for the college. The knowledge and experience of the faculty and their dedication to their students has produced quality and professional workplace candidates and well-prepared transfer students since the program's inception more than 40 years ago.

Just last year, GCC renewed its articulation agreement with LIM for students in the Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. program. Students who complete the track and degree requirements can seamlessly transfer to LIM to complete their B.B.A. in Fashion Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing or Management.

In addition, GCC is very excited to announce a new articulation agreement with Cazenovia College. This agreement provides a seamless transfer opportunity for GCC's Fashion Business: Merchandising A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Merchandising B.P.S. and for GCC's Fashion Business: Fashion Design A.A.S. students to Cazenovia's Fashion Design B.F.A. degree program.

Anyone interested in taking advantage of these transfer opportunities through GCC is encouraged to contact GCC's Student Success Center at (585) 345-6805 or via email at SSC@genesee.edu.

Expert on 20th century fashion to launch GCC's Fashion Speaker Series Oct. 23

By Billie Owens

Press release and submitted photo:

Each semester, the Fashion Program at Genesee Community College hosts its Fashion Speaker Series, which introduces students to experts from all areas of the booming industry.

The first speaker in the 2019-2020 series will be lecturer, writer and fashion aficionado, John A. Tiffany, who presents "DAWN: The Career of Legendary Fashion Retailer Dawn Mello" at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23, in room T102 on GCC's Batavia Campus.

The event is free and open to the public.

Tiffany has been called a fashion historian and expert on the history of fashion in the 20th century. But, more than anything, he is a passionate storyteller who uncovers and shares the incredible untold stories of pioneering women.

Tiffany's most recent book, "DAWN: The Career of Legendary Fashion Retailer Dawn Mello" is a lavishly illustrated biography that spans her impressive career.

In 1975, Mello was hired as the fashion director and vice president of the department store Bergdorf Goodman, and charged to turn the retailer around and remake it in the image of Ira Neimark, who was the CEO at that time.

Together, they transformed a once dowdy department store into the retail center of luxury fashion.

Mello's strategy not only redefined and repositioned Bergdorf Goodman, but in doing so, she discovered and encouraged the rise of exciting modern designers, while inaugurating an exuberant, new type of fashion show.

After leaving Bergdorf Goodman, Mello moved on to revitalize Gucci, which became a modern case study for resuscitating a luxury brand. By the time she left, Gucci was back on top.

"Our faculty and students are both very excited to have Mr. Tiffany speak at our campus," Donna Ehrhart, GCC professor of Business and Fashion Design, said. "Each year, GCC's students plan and execute their own full-scale fashion show.

"Many students use their experience to launch their own impressive careers. Being able to hear the story of Dawn Mello will be very inspiring for their work this year."

GCC's Fashion Business degree program includes four separate areas of concentration:

  • Fashion Design: covering the necessary principles and techniques of consumer and commercial fashion, apparel, accessories, and the management of fashion development projects. (A one-year certificate is also available for students who want to just hone their hands-on techniques.)
  • Fashion Merchandising Management: providing the skills needed to succeed in a global, ever-changing billion dollar business of fashion buying, display, public relations, styles and sales.
  • E-Commerce: preparing students to manage online inventories, design digital marketing plans and media, and to explore the world of online fashion retail.
  • Event Planning: teaching the principles of event management, consumer behavior, space design, culinary choices, securing entertainment contracts and endorsements, and much more.

"One of the goals of the Fashion Speaker Series is to expose the students to as many possible careers in the industry as possible and to let them hear about the many paths to success," Ehrhart added. "Tiffany's work and his breadth of experience with a variety of individuals in the fashion industry made him a great choice for the first speaker in the series this year."

Tiffany grew up in California's Santa Ynez Valley, earned a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu in 1988, and has been a professional speaker, writer and author since 2011.

His first book, "Eleanor Lambert: STILL HERE" recounts this extraordinary and bona fide American pioneer's incredible journey which is credited with single-handedly putting American fashion on the global stage.

In addition to the speaker series, GCC Fashion students participate in trips to New York City to experience the Fashion District, and they tackle all aspects of producing a professional fashion show: designer, scene coordinator, director, marketing, public relations, and many other responsibilities from public safety to parking.

Each year, the Fashion Show draws an audience of more than 1,500 and is also live-streamed around the world.

This experience leads many GCC fashion majors to transfer agreements with institutions such as FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and LIM (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising) in NYC, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and others.

Beyond the Wardrobe: Changing Styles & Influences of Fashion, 1880-1920

By Holland Land Office

Wednesday, March 20th, the museum will be launching its latest exhibit "Beyond the Wardrobe: Changing Styles & Influences of Fashion, 1880-1920." This exhibit explores a period in time when fashion and society were constantly changing decade to decade.This exhibit allows the visitor to explore the outside influences on fashion like sports, motion pictures, and the Women’s Rights Movements, as well as see the changes to each silhouette as time goes on.
This free opening event will begin at 7pm and we encourage all ages to attend.

Event Date and Time
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Emmy-winning stylist and best-selling author David Zyla returns to GCC for Fashion Speaker program

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

His style is authentic and colorful. His fashion is Emmy Award-winning. His books have influenced followers all over the world to adopt his unique approach, and on Wednesday, Oct. 26, he will return to Genesee Community College as part of the Fashion Business Program's Fashion Speaker Series to give a presentation that will show exactly why he is a sought after authority on fashion and color in the media.

David Zyla, who spoke as part of the Series in 2014, has collaborated with some of the most recognizable faces of contemporary culture, including Neil Patrick Harris, Hillary Clinton, Susan Lucci, Tom Hanks, Carol Burnett, Amber Rose and Kelsey Grammar. A believer that "every person has the right to feel empowered and look fantastic," Zyla's lifelong passion is helping people discover their individual palette of flattering colors and unique style – the best version of themselves – through private and group style consultations all over the world.

Zyla started his Seventh Avenue evening wear label, which was featured at New York's Fashion Week and sold by luxury retailers, including Bergdorf Goodman and Henri Bendel, at the age of 22. By 2001, he had already earned a reputation as a tastemaker with strong ties to the global fashion community and was recruited by ABC to reinvigorate the visual quality of its daytime programming. David has held position of head costume designer for various long-running television shows, including ABC's "All My Children" (2010 Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design Emmy Award), "General Hospital," and Lifetime's "Devious Maids."

A guest speaker, panelist and lecturer on the transformative power of color and its application to wardrobe, home and lifestyle, Zyla is known for his engaging, educational and fun presentations on fashion. He has been profiled in People magazine and The New Yorker, and featured in publications including Life & Style, More Magazine, Real Simple, Women's Wear Daily, The Huffington Post, USA Today, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Traditional Home, and more. David often serves as a teacher and guest lecturer at major design institutions, museums, and schools, including New York University, Hofstra University, SCAD, LIM, Otterbein College and UC Davis. He is a faculty member at Marymount Manhattan College where he teaches a regular course on Fashion, History and Society.

Don't miss David Zyla at GCC on Oct. 26 in room T102 of the Conable Technology Building at the GCC Batavia Campus as part of the Fashion Business Program Speaker Series. The event is free and open to the public, however, seating will be limited. Those wishing to attend can RSVP by calling (585) 345-6830.

For more information on David Zyla, including services and contact information, visit his website at www.davidzyla.com

The art and style of modern dandies discussed at GCC

By Howard B. Owens

Throughout time, in all cultures, there have been men, Rose Callahan told a group of GCC students and faculty yesterday, who might be called "peacocks."

They like to dress with flare, some might even say extravagance, but always with style.

A photographer by trade, Callahan started a project a few years ago to document such men wherever she might find them, pretty much all over the world. The result is a book titled, "The Dandy Portraits: The Lives of Exquisite Gentlemen Today."

"Dandies are more dressed up, more formal, they like wearing suits, ties, cufflinks, hats. It's a little bit of a throwback to earlier times when men cared more about how they dressed. Everybody, in general, cared more about how they dressed."

And dandies care about appearance all of the time. Dandies would never run to the supermarket in sweatpants and a faded Buffalo Bills T-shirt, or stop by Tim Horton's in cargo shorts and flip-flops. But there was a time in American culture when men nearly always wore slacks, a pressed shirt, and a coat or jacket, and usually a hat. Callahan thinks something was lost when we let slip away the need to care about our public image.

"I think when you dress well, you treat people well," Callahan said. "When you dress well, you care more about yourself and when you take care of yourself, you're more often kind to people. It doesn't always go hand-in-hand, but I think it's a start. I think a lot of the men I've profiled and come across know that image is very important in our culture.

"There's a quote, 'dress well and succeed' and I think a lot of men are realizing that now. They dress well for where they want to be. They dress for the job they want to get. They dress to try and better themselves. I think that's important."

While dandyism remains the purview of the eccentric and eclectic, Callahan is cheered by the observation that more and more, men today do seem to take the time, to put in the effort to dress well, with, perhaps a sense of fashion if not style and taste. There has sprung up in the past few years a whole industry aimed at helping men with fashion, providing them lessons in decorum and etiquette, guiding them toward leading more rounded lives, such as "The Art of Manliness," "Alpha M" and "Real Men, Real Style."

Some of that may be necessary, Callahan said, because the art of gentlemanliness skipped a generation or two, and if there was no father to teach a son these life skills, where will a young man learn it?

"It is possible for a man, even if he's not dressed up like a dandy, to care about those things," Callahan said. "Like a dandy, they want to act in a more gentlemanly way. There's the fashion, but there's also the manners, and that's what the 'Art of Manliless' talks about, being a Renaissance man, taking care of yourself, being a connoisseur and being independent." 

The difference for dandies, of course, is they take all this art of being a gentleman to an extreme. Callahan calls it an obsession.

"Few of the dandies I met call themselves dandies," Callahan said. "To them, dandy means perfection. Beau Brummell, Oscar Wilde, to them, they were the perfect dandies, and they're not there yet. They haven't reached that level of perfection."

There are a lot of misconceptions about dandies, Callahan said, but none of them are true. Perhaps the biggest misconception is that dandies are gay, but that is not usually the case. Most are straight, many are married. They're also not all white, nor are they all rich.

In fact, it's quite possible to be a dandy on a budget. You just have to know where to shop, how to shop, and pay attention to every detail.

"It all depends on how you wear it," Callahan said.

And while most dandies reject seeing themselves as part of a cohort, a clique, a trend, a group of commonality of any kind, they do appreciate the attention Callahan's book is bringing to them. All of the subjects of the book were thrilled to be a part of it, she said, and now when she tours, she meets many more dandies who are excited to go to a public event where they will be appreciated.

"I don't think most people care or realize what an effort dandies put into their appearance when they see them walking down the street," Callahan said. "They might think, 'oh, that's a great look,' but they don't see the details that went into it. These guys care about the details a lot."

While Callahan has no expectation that her book will inspire new dandies, she does hope it serves as one more inspiration for today's men to care more about their overall image and appearance. 

"Not everybody wants to dress like that, but you can look at it and get some inspiration and hopefully take on some of those ideas," she said.

Eleven people who attended the lecture entered the dandy contest for a chance to win an autographed copy of Callahan's book.

Here's a video Callahan shared about one of the dandies in her book, Dandy Wellington.

GCC's 34th Annual Fashion Show set for performances tomorrow

By Howard B. Owens

GCC students have been working hard all week to put the finishing touches on the 34th annual fashion show. When we stopped by the campus yesterday, we found three of the models rehearsing their runway presentation. Pictured are Kiatta Whipset, Halee Santiago and Brittney Malone. 

Here's a GCC press release about the fashion show:

Whether they're "Walking Among the Wildflowers," preparing for a "Battlefield," or turning desert beasts into beauties in a scene called "Transcendence," GCC fashion students are getting ready to wow crowds again this year at the 34th Annual Fashion Show, "Fata Morgana."

Advance tickets are highly recommended for the event on Saturday, April 25. Two complete shows are planned, at 3 and 7 p.m., in the William W. Stuart Forum on the GCC Batavia campus.

"Fata Morgana" is produced by GCC Fashion Merchandising and Design students under the guidance of GCC Business Professors Rick Dudkowski and Donna Ehrhart. This year's theme is inspired by the beauty of the desert and the show, like a fata morgana mirage, will feature rapidly changing views as desert colors bloom onstage.

Students have been busy rehearsing with the more than 140 models who will appear in the 12 scenes. A number of the scenes will feature original creations by Fashion Design students.

"Since we introduced the Fashion Design concentration, more and more of our students are creating their own designs for the fashion show," Ehrhart said. "Audiences love seeing these original pieces and there will be many of them in this year's show."

Fashion Merchandising students are also collaborating with both local and national vendors including Batavia's own Charles Men's Shop and denim jeans maker Buffalo David Bitton. The scenes planned for "Fata Morgana" include:

1. "Battlefield" -- Designed and Coordinated by Amber Coan;

2. "Among the Wildflowers" -- Coordinated by Taylor Bunch and Katie Strong with apparel by Lord & Taylor and Gymboree;

3. "Transcendence" -- Coordinated by Angelique Porey & Sara Elliott with apparel by Porey;

4. "Inevitable" -- Coordinated by DJ Simmons with apparel by LovelyWholesale;

5. "Bare" Coordinated -- by Jocelyn Eade & Eunice Goeun Park with apparel by Eade;

6. "Bri-Jhn" -- Coordinated by Brittany Breedlove with apparel by B.B.;

7. "Minuit Désert" -- By T. LaShaé; Coordinated by Tiffany Hill & Chiho Nakayama with apparel by T. LaShaé and jewelry by Na'kaylas Jewelry Box;

8. "Festival Haze" -- Coordinated by Ami Cornell and Kylie Dunn with apparel by Buffalo David Bitton and Lord & Taylor;

9. "Oasis" -- Coordinated and Designed by Abby Lee Wilcox with jewelry by Kana Tatsumi;

10. "Opulence" -- Coordinated and Designed by Catherine Morales;

11. "Veni Vidi Vici" -- Coordinated by Ariana Sneed with apparel by Candace Cooper;

12. "Sandar" -- Coordinated by Lekha Anderson with apparel by Charles Men's Shop and M.A. Carr Bridal;

Along with enjoying the fashions presented during the show, which is a capstone project for many GCC students, guests will have a chance to win a variety of door prizes from restaurant gift certificates to gift cards and baskets. They will also have an opportunity to meet the scene coordinators at the postshow after-party in the cafeteria.

Tourism and Hospitality Management students develop the exquisite after-party and assist with the decorating, Criminal Justice students provide security at the event, and GCC's Communications and Media arts students promote the event on WGCC.

"The way our students from various departments come together to make this annual Fashion Show a huge success always impresses me," Dudkowski said. "We're excited for people to see the students' hard work come to fruition at showtime."

Tickets for the shows are available for $5 in advance or $7 at the door and can be purchased by calling 585-345-6830 or e-mail cmyoung@genesee.edu. Advance tickets are strongly recommended and must be purchased by April 23.

You can read more about the creation of the scenes, the students and happenings in the fashion program at the GCC fashion blog http://gcccampusblog.wordpress.com/category/fashion/

Local Photographer Chosen to Exhibit in Toronto Gallery

By Patricia Hawley

Local photographer Susan Meier, owner of Susan Meier Photography in Batavia, has been selected to exhibit a photograph in the Todmorden Papermill Gallery in Toronto, Canada. Her black and white print, “Feathered” will be on view beginning May 21 through June 7 as part of the Canadian Association of Professional Image Creators (CAPIC) show.

 

This is the first time that Meier has submitted work for consideration to the gallery. “I was encouraged to send a photo to the CAPIC show by Struan Campbell,” she said. Campbell, a fashion photographer, met Meier when she participated in his photography workshop in Buffalo earlier this year. “I prefer fashion photography because I love working with people to create a theme - the more fantastical the better!” she admits. Her daughter, Katelyn, posed for “Feathered” in a series of photographs that included wreaths, masks, and hair ornaments all constructed of feathers. “I start with a theme and then add layers,” Meier says, “until I get the desired effect.” 

 

A life-long resident of Genesee County, Susan is a self-taught artist and has been taking photographs for over 30 years. “I won a camera in a coloring contest and that sparked my interest,” she said. She continues her professional development by “taking workshops whenever I can.” Clinics, workshops, and intensive training inspire her both creatively and technically. “There’s always more to learn about lighting and composition to improve your craft.” Susan’s work has been shown locally at the Gallery at Blue Pearl Yoga, Richmond Memorial Library, Genesee Community College, Moon Java Cafe, GoArt!, and Muller Quaker. Her studio located in the Harvester Artisan Center at 56 Harvester Avenue in Batavia also serves as a gallery of her work. 

 

Building on the success of the CAPIC submission, Susan is preparing an image to submit to Image City Photography Gallery in Rochester. She is also a participating artist in 6x62014- the widely acclaimed International Small Art Show at Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) in June. An active member of the Batavia Photography Club, Susan received four awards at their recent annual meeting: Best Color Digital; Best Color Print; Image of the Year; Most Advanced Photographer of the Year. 

 

Meier says “It has taken time, dedication, education, expense and persistence but submitting and getting accepted into galleries is a great step forward  for me. I look forward to expanding the visibility of my craft while sharing what I love to do!”

 

To learn more about Susan Meier Photography or to book a photo session visit her website at www.suemeier.com or call 585.861.0415. You can also visit her gallery at 56 Main Street, Harvester Avenue, Batavia, part of the Harvester Artisan Center.

 

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