West Valley students gear up for their fashion show
By Shari Kaplan
The Fashion Design and Apparel Technology program at Saratoga's West Valley College is holding its 18th annual spring fashion show on May 10 in the theater on the campus at 14000 Fruitvale Ave.
Shows are at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and an optional reception with catering provided by students enrolled in the Mission College Hospitality Management program is at 6 p.m. Mission College in Santa Clara belongs to the same community college district as West Valley.
Co-hosting the evening show are KRON-TV anchorwoman Catherine Heenan and NBC-3 TV anchorman Scott Budman. Joseph Domingo, a West Valley College graduate, is directing both shows.
Each year, the fashion show features a guest of honor and designer from the fashion industry. This year it is Koi Suwannagate, a native of Thailand and a West Valley College alumna who now has her own clothing line. Her works have been featured in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and In Style magazines, and are sold in boutiques in Los Angeles, New York and Las Vegas.
"We're thrilled to showcase the work of a successful former student," says Kaee Min, chairperson of the fashion design department. "By living her dream, Koi is an inspiration to our students."
Along with Suwannagate's fashions, models will exhibit apparel created by students graduating from the Fashion Design and Apparel Technology program. Students in the program have access to a fully equipped lab--including specialized computer programs--that gives them the same hands-on experience they would have out in the industry. The program offers associate degrees in apparel production and apparel design, as well as certificates in electronic manufacturing and surface design.
Tickets are $15 for the afternoon show and $20 for the evening show and reception. Proceeds benefit the college's Fashion Design and Technology Fund. For more information, call 408.741.4015 or visit www.westvalley.edu/wvc/fd.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
