May T Roberts
Marcus Palma
Philip Noy and Model
Growing Sacramento Fashion
Studio 505 “Branching Out” Freestyle Fashion Show Words & photos Josselin Basaldu
Sacramento is home to several vocational education programs to help fashion artists express their design aptitude. American River College’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program is in the process of spitting out some talented, young designers. Several ARC student designers showcased their fashion at the Studio 505 “Branching Out” Freestyle fashion show in Citrus Heights on Nov. 5, including Riley James, May T. Roberts, Susie McGffin and Sue Mitchell. More than 200 people attended and very few seats were empty. Studio 505 was founded by Student Fashion Council President Razi Husain, who named the production group after the studio number at ARC where designing takes place. “The ultimate goal of a fashion show is to be able to sell, to be able to show what you can do,” Husain explained about motivation to produce a student-run fashion show. The show was held in a commercial space two doors down and part of Freestyle Clothing Exchange, donated for the event by owner Elizabeth Kelley, in support of local fashion. In efforts to style the large, basic space with two small columns, Studio 505 students stuck with the theme of “branching out” and displayed literal interpretations with actual branches and painted ones, creating an industrial, mountain chic touch. As the 250 white seats filled with friends, families and fashionlovers, DJ Mario Toca was spinning Top 40 hits and Studio 505 members were putting finishing touches on show details. Reading directly from the show’s program, handsome, bespectacled Eric Ellis from the ARC Student Fashion Council, at least had a decent voice if no showmanship. Introduced with an admittedly fabricated bio about sewing furs in the wilds of Russia, Roseville-raised Rebeka Garn set an upbeat tone for the beginning of the show with bright, flirty dresses. Garn sent five looks (outfits) strolling around the “U”-shaped runway to Of Montreal’s “Requium for O.M.M.2 (Remix).” Her dresses had high, scallop-collared necklines and medium-length floral print village skirts, reminiscent of the French countryside in summer, inspired by the time she spent in Paris last summer.
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Although out of season, her light, fresh styling of her models was impressive with glowing skin, rosy cheeks and hair easily pulled from the face. “My fashion personality is romantic. I like to make people feel pretty,” Garn said. “Make them feel like little girls running through flowers or something.” The 18-year-old has been designing for two years and started taking sewing classes at Sierra College when she was a sophomore in high school. She doesn’t sell her creations. She prefers to wear them. The edgy designs of Phong Thammavong followed. His line was titled “Identity” and inspired by The Birth of Venus by Sandro Bottocelli. Bright colors like jade green, cobalt blue and bright cranberry were found in manipulated prints and chiffon, cut and accented with beige satin, black lace and asymmetrical satin webbing. Creating a design story and sticking to it, Thammavong said he wanted to create “a strong woman, doing what she can for love.” The sweetest romper ever with pockets, bright colors and an interesting neck was dark and passionate, a true ode to a women fighting for love by Thammavong. “This one was really inspired and came from my heart, in interpretation of the painting I love,” he said of the piece. A hydrangea finale dress was exquisite and perfectly accessorized with a headpiece of flower and sculpted twigs. With “Identity,” Thammavong heeded infamous advice from Tim Gunn on Project Runway and he used his accessories thoughtfully and chose wisely. Philip Noynosoudachanh (noy-no-sue-da-janh) remixed his own version of “Alien Remix” by Lamb to send his lacey, posh looks down the runway. Often going by Philip Noy (he said he consents to the nickname), he said he had to think “outside the box” in Sacramento for the design of his collection, “Vein.” He said being conservative “isn’t always healthy,” and “Vein” is meant to be strong and for “people who have confidence, people who don’t mind being naked.”
Issue 72 • November 8 – November 22, 2010
But for those who do mind being naked, Noy’s clothes are a bit dangerous, beautiful and fiercely feminine. The horizontal striped black, white and beige tunic with a rope belt is luxe and would be flattering on any women. Noy said his best accessories as a designer are “a good attitude and lip gloss.” A significantly different aesthetic came next from 24-year-old Viktorya Wheeler. Providing a look for “more eclectic girls” who “like to go out and like to stand out,” neon netting, repurposed vintage T-shirts and corsets were shown in her line “Kaye.” With inspiration from Visual Kei and Gothic Lolita, Wheeler saw this show as a comeback of sorts, she said. Although from Placerville, she used to be an ice skater and skated at Iceland on Del Paso for many years. It was a difficult time for her when the rink was burned down by arsonists last March, and she kept Iceland in mind when designing her line. “Dubai Skyline Remix” by Benny Benassi featuring Kelis was the musical backdrop for Marcus Palma’s 18-look line titled “1:28 a.m.” Some shows are all smoke and mirrors, but Palma’s designs, inspired by strobe lights, late glamorous nights and the Sacramento metropolis, are all shimmer and mirrors. Palma said three of his looks were actually designed and fitted for his mother. Although he sent many constructed dresses to the catwalk, he shone as brightly in his menswear design skills as did the studio lighting off the shards of broken mirror on his designs. This was Palma’s second show at which he sold his first item. He was elated and giggly after the show at what he’d accomplished and his first sale. “This show was the entire universe. I did it out of pure enjoyment, pure excitement,” he said.
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