Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

West Valley fashion illustration student Matt Sutton sketches models before the show. From left are Megan Mohammadi, Chard Gorman and Paula Sinclear.

It's 'Virtual Fashion' at West Valley show

Students and alumni of West Valley College's School of Fashion Design and Apparel showed their most innovative designs during a May 10 "Virtual Fashion" show in the campus center.

Before and after the show, fashion illustrations by students were available for sale. Such illustrations have been the subject of articles in recent issues of Vogue and House Beautiful and are considered collectables.

Marian Clayden, a Los Gatos couture designer, was a special guest at the show, along with representatives from San Francisco designers and manufacturers such as the Gap, Jessica McClintock, Eileen West and bebe.

Student Lisa Pontier of Saratoga wore her own designs for the show. She has worked for the past five years as a freelance costume designer on such productions as Peter Pan and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for San Jose Children's Musical Theatre, as well as designing costumes for Margaret Wingrove Dance Company and the Peninsula Youth Theater. She was nominated for best costume design 1995 by the American Musical Theater of San Jose. Her goal is to transfer to a four-year college where she can receive training in theatrical design.

Cindy Singletary, also of Saratoga, attended West Valley College several years ago before going on to receive a degree in archaeology. Singletary returned to West Valley two years ago to pursue fashion design, in particular computer-aided design and patternmaking. Her goal is to work in the fashion industry locally and possibly to teach. Her daughter Sarah was among six children in the fashion show.