Fashion Industry Experts Select The Art Institutes Designers for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Art Institutes system of schools raised the bar for its Fall 2014 fashion show by enlisting industry experts including fashion designers John Bartlett, Douglas Hannant and Bonnie Young; Cliodna Egan, Senior Manager Design/Research + Development, Macy's Merchandising Group; and Christina Neault, former Executive Producer of IMG Fashion, to help identify the brightest fashion stars of tomorrow. The Art Institutes Fall 2014 fashion show is one of only two shows during Fashion Week that includes alumni designs. The Art Institutes system of schools accepted applicants from the ten largest fashion design programs across its North American system of more than 50 schools. Thirteen student and alumni designers were selected to present their Fall 2014 capsule collections during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, which will be held at Lincoln Center in New York City February 6-13, 2014.

The Art Institutes Fall 2014 show may just be the most diverse group show assembled for Fashion Week. A former Marine, a carpenter and an architect are three of this season's standouts, all of whom switched careers to pursue their true passions at Art Institutes schools. Gustavo Alonso, Luis Aponte, Joshuan Aponte, Lauren Barisic, Lorena Cabrera, Anna Charest, Samuel Ciccone, Michael Doyle, Ryan Edmonds, German Madrigal, Christopher Maracha, Rei Yamamoto and Simone Young* will have the extraordinary opportunity to present their collections alongside fashion industry legends. To learn more about the designers click here. 

"A talented group of fashion industry professionals generously provided their expertise to select the thirteen designers who will be a part of The Art Institutes Fall 2014 show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week," said Charles Restivo, Interim President of The Art Institutes. "We are excited to present a show that highlights the exceptional talent and creativity The Art Institutes students and alumni offer."

For more information about the students and graduates showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, follow @Art_Institutes, search #AiMBFW and visit http://content.artinstitutes.edu/assets/PR/News/pdf/mbfw-designer-backgrounder.pdf.

Each season, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City captures the world's attention as more than 250 designers showcase their collections and unveil the upcoming season's trends at star-studded presentations and runway shows under the famed Lincoln Center tents. This incredible opportunity will give the talented students and alumni of The Art Institutes the chance to present their looks to an international audience and get a glimpse of what it takes to market themselves and their designs to potential clients and buyers. Their collections will include both women's and men's sportswear and eveningwear, showing the culmination of techniques learned in the classroom and brought to life by the range, vision and creativity of the young designers.

For more information on The Art Institutes system of schools and to find out details about the February show visit: www.artinstitutes.edu.

*  Students: Gustavo Alonso (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Miami International University of Art & Design), Luis Aponte (Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of New York City), Joshuan Aponte (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, Miami International University of Art & Design), Lauren Barisic (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, a campus of Argosy University), Anna Charest (Bachelor of Science, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of Philadelphia), Michael Doyle (Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of New York City) and Simone Young  (Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design, The Art Institute of New York City). Graduates: Lorena Cabrera (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design, 2013, The Art Institute of Portland), Samuel Ciccone (Bachelor of Science, Fashion Design, 2013, The Art Institute of Philadelphia), Ryan Edmonds (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design, 2013, The Art Institute of Portland), German Madrigal (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design, 2013, The Art Institute of Portland), Christopher Maracha (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, 2012, The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, a campus of Argosy University) and Rei Yamamoto (Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design, 2013, The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, a campus of Argosy University).

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of more than 50 schools located throughout North America. The Art Institutes schools provide an important source of education for design, media arts, fashion and culinary professionals. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University or Argosy University. OH Registration # 04-01-1698B; AC0165; Licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License No. 1287, 3427, 3110, 2581. Administrative office: 210 Sixth Avenue, 33rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, and other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important information.

SOURCE The Art Institutes