Saratoga News

Last year, guest designer and alumnus Joseph Domingo walked the runway with a bride on his arm during West Valley College's School of Fashion Design fashion show.

'Metamorphosis' show puts fashion designs on parade

By Torre Peña

With the aid of fabric, students are creating a metamorphosis at West Valley College. Transforming fashion design ideas into tangible clothing lines, students in the fashion design and apparel technology program are putting the final touches on their original fashion designs in preparation for the college's annual fashion show.

This year's fashion show, aptly titled "Metamorphosis," is May 9.

In its 12th year, the show continues to grow, showcasing talented student designers. And the fashion show's success reflects the excellent reputation the West Valley fashion design program has earned.

"Now, it's a huge district event," said Kaee Min, a fashion design instructor and the show's coordinator.

The first fashion show in 1985 was held at lunch, with students modeling their own work. Now it has blossomed into an evening event featuring special guest designers, a champagne reception and gallery exhibit of student designs.

Min expects about 350 fashion fans to attend the show, which was created for students to display their work.

"Graduating students each year present their entire collection, and they develop their own labels. This is their first collection, and we give them the opportunity to show it in public," Min said. Students also gain valuable experience that is prized by the fashion industry.

The show will feature snowboard fashion designs from West Valley alumnus Riaz Finnemore. Finnemore is also a part-time instructor at the college, teaching product data management.

"It's a great program," Finnemore said. "It's definitely how I got my start in fashion."

Finnemore credits West Valley's program and its state-of-the-art equipment for launching his successful career as a freelance designer. He said his first job offer came as a result of computer-aided design experience learned at the college.

West Valley was the first college in California to offer computer-aided design as part of the regular curriculum. Students have access to 22 computer technology stations used for pattern making and digitized cutting. And the college has taken pains to ensure that the program has industrial sewing machines and industry standard cutting boards.

Randy Harris, executive director of the San Francisco Fashion Industries, said West Valley has a reputation for training outstanding designers. Many graduates of the West Valley program end up working in the Bay Area, the third-largest fashion center in the nation.

And the program is expanding. Next year five more certificates will be added to the two-year A.S. degree in fashion design and apparel technology. These mini-certificates will take less coursework to complete and will offer training in a variety of fashion-related fields like computerized pattern-making and apparel-production management.

"This is something the industry people wanted from us and also the students wanted from us," Min said.

Min said students use the A.S. degree as a springboard directly into the fashion industry or as preparation for continuing their education at a four-year institution.

The fashion show on May 9 at the college campus center starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $15. A champagne reception will be held in the art gallery at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 for the reception and show. For more information call 741-4015.

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