Evening of talent, designs
The event: Someof tomorrow’s sure-to-be fashion stars showed off their creative design talents at the Otis College of Art and Design’s 33rd annual Scholarship Benefit and Fashion Show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The blacktie affair on May 2 honored Carlos Alberini, chief executive of Lucky Brand; Gary Schoenfeld, chief executive of PacSun; and fashion designer Trina Turk, founder of her namesake brand; while student Jessica Choi was named Otis’ designer of the year.
Event chair Shelley Reid, an executive vice president at MGM Television, called Otis “the premier art and design school in Los Angeles” for 97 years. “You heard me correctly,” she said, “97 years.” The scene: In keeping with the show’s theme, “A Celebration of Water,” ocean scenes filled video screens through dinner in the ballroom. In the cocktail area, sketches of the night’s runway designs lined thewalls, with all fashions available for sale in a high-tech silent auction in which guests placed bids via cellphone. The show: Fifty-five models showed more than100 outfits, walking the runway against murals of seascapes, seashells, coral formations and storms over the ocean. For each sequence, student designers had followed inspirations given to them by professional design mentors, such as “dresses inspired by the mysterious life forms in the deep sea” and “playful chic ensembles for a yacht trip to the Italian Riviera.”
For the latter vignette, models danced them ambo down the runway. The announcement: In a surprise tribute to Quiksilver co-founder BobMcKnight, Rosemary Brantley— founding chair of the Otis Fashion Design program— called to the stage Volcom founder Richard Woolcott; Volcom President, North America, Kevin Meehan; Billabong Chief Executive Neil Fiske; and Fernando Aguerre, president of the International Surfing Assn.
On behalf of the surf, skate, shoe and active sportswear executives, Aguerre announced a new scholarship named for McKnight, “in perpetuity.” “That means, Bob, your name is going to be heard for hundreds of years,” Aguerre said.
“I feel like a tribal elder now of our surf industry, and it’s a nice spot to be in,” McKnight said. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the career I’ve had for 40 years.” The crowd: The audience of design, retail and entertainment notables, philanthropists and others included Bob Mackie, Karen Kane, Robert Tuggle of Eddie Bauer, Mary Bruno of J Brand, Susan Crank of Lunada Bay, Art Coppola of Macerich, Lois and Jerry Magnin, Kirk Nix of KNA, Steve Stark of MGM, Brian Robinson of DreamWorks Animation, producer Mace Neufeld, philanthropists Elaine and Bram Goldsmith, Eva and Ming Hsieh, and Billie Weisman, architect Fred Fisher and Otis board chair Gail Buchalter. Reid headed up the benefit committee, alongside Brantley, co-chair Cathy Louchheim and founding chair Elaine Goldsmith. Quote of note: “I’m thrilled to be at one of theworld’s leading art and design colleges at a time when California cultural institutions and creative industries are such significant forces throughout the world,” said Otis President-elect Bruce Ferguson. “So if location and timing are everything, I couldn’t be in a better place at a better time.”
The numbers: Tickets for the 750 guests began at $500 (with specially priced tickets for alumni) and tables ranged up to $50,000, resulting in nearly $1million raised.