Give the gift of couture... gorgeous accessories for unforgettable moments

Gorgeous couture accessories that will have everyone in fantastical awe this holiday season. Give as gift, wear to set the mood... check out AcademyCouture Art's Lindsey Smith designs:  (24) Lssmithdesigns

Masquerade mask for my class at The Academy of Couture Art!

 Lssmithdesigns

Trisha Frick, Girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, in Academy of Couture Art costume Snow White

The Playboy Mansion kicked off Halloween with a smashing party October 27th in Beverly Hills. The fairest of them all was Snow White; Trisha Frick, girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, looked enchanting.

"Such a  great opportunity to work on a special costume from measuring it to final fitting and ... being able to make it for beauty, not just to complete it.” - Katherine ENYART,Academy of Couture Art Pattern Design Chairperson

The Academy of Couture Art was honored by a second commission from the Mansion to design and create Trisha's couture Halloween costume. Her 2012 theme of Snow White was a very special dedication to her dear friend Halley.

"Excited and nervous, excited because you get to gain experience for the future, nervous because you know it has to be perfect.” - Valery MIRANDA, Fashion Design, Freshman

Perfection, beauty, and love was shared among the Academy of Couture Art community as the team crafted Trisha's costume. We hear it first from our student designer Laura KIRANI:

"Snow white she said...Trisha Frick was her name simple and yet beautiful, she charmed us all when she walked in. An announcement was made, by the Saturday before halloween, a sexy Snow White was to be made. I dazzled most at the thought of being able to see the fabric, to be able to be apart of creating something so extravagant, so bold and original, being able to give life to a costume of such desire and grace. With each passing seam, like air filling a baby's lungs for the first time, life takes the form of this costume, with every pressing of the iron giving it more shape, like opening your eyes and seeing for the first time. With each pin and connection of the pieces, giving me a feeling of excitement and feeling of flying that we did this, all of us. We gave life to that which starting as nothing less of cut fabric, lifeless and plain just awaiting the day in which to be whole." - Laura KIRANI, Fashion and Pattern Design, Freshman

Thank you Trisha for the amazing experience! You are gorgeous both inside and out. With love from the Academy of Couture Art design team:

(Left)
Anna SOTNICHENKO
Laura KIRANI
Rahel SHAREW
Nikolle RAMIREZ MEJIA
Mentor: Katherine ENYART

(Right)
Lead Mentor: Sonia ETE
Emma CHEN
Valery MIRANDA
Nicole GRANT

(Photographer)
Kym SHERMAN, Kym Stylz

Hear it from the Team:

How did you feel? What will you take from the experience? Would do it again?

"I liked working with passionate teachers, friendly class mates, and just over all loved it.” - Emma CHEN

"Admiration of others with years of experience to design a gorgeous Halloween costume.” - Kym Stylz

"Helped me by giving me the opportunity to work in a group and gain that experience for the future.” - Nikolle RAMIREZ

"Definitely do it, to have opportunity to work on an elaborate costume, to learn about the construction of the costume and to be able to work  as a team again.” -Nicole GRANT

"Love to, appreciate the possibility that Sonia gave us to help, very inspired to help work on future projects.” -Anna SOTNICHENKO

Academy of Couture Art gets a double take from Monaco!

From Los Angeles to Monaco, the Academy of Couture Art designers are causing a double take within the industry. Able to hold their own on the couture circuit, this June 23 at the Sofitel Hotel in Los Angeles (near Beverly Hills) the secret to haute couture and the Academy of Couture Art will be revealed. 

In Monaco, ACA designers presented a collection paired with red carpet couturier, Gilbert Chagoury Couture, at the Monaco Charity Film Festival held outdoors at the beautiful Villa & Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The designs went beyond expectations. 

Couture is not only a very specific and unique way of designing and making clothes, but it's also a way of viewing the world. What makes the Academy of Couture Art so distinct is how it weaves couture through all aspects of the fashion industry. If you stick only to tailoring in couture, you've most likely missed the point. 

So, what does it mean? Check it out! Le Rêve 2012 fashion show and gala by ACA tells the story of couture in perfect construction, design balance, mood of the collection, and special techniques to create magic in clothing from our graduating designers. You'll even find looks that push forward what you would expect at a department store or large retail boutiques. After all, it's about changing what we see everyday!

Be sure to see it before the press. For more on tickets visit www.CoutureShows.com 

Couture in the City: West Coast Fashion goes Haute Couture

Bright white sun on the modern mid-rises makes the greenery distinct and the couture garments elegantly bold. For a Saturday afternoon downtown Portland you can feel glamour all around.

Not many would put those two together: Portland and glamour. This is an achievement that only the two best schools of beauty could create. Academy of Couture Art, Los Angeles and Paul Mitchell the School, Portland have redefined west coast fashion and beauty which has usually tended on the side of surf wear or woodland chic.

The Fest in the Square event makes a mark in the movement of couture in the U.S. It is a movement of education in what is couture. Too often couture gets lumped into either the unobtainable wild and crazy creativity that is solely for inspiration or the occasional bows added here and there to make something look cute like Chanel.

Couture is an aesthetic. It is a sophisticated training of the eye. For fashion, it is also a method of designing and creating clothing from the highest to the lowest. Balance, proportion, line are brought out from a different perspective. Couture is where creativity meets beauty. Let's face it, not all creativity is pleasing or moving, yet all couture is artistically stimulating or attractive to the eye. That's technique.

The show in Portland was the first time Academy of Couture Art designers partnered with the talent at Paul Mitchell the School, Portland. The whole team of hair artists, models and designers where inspired to take it to the max for elegance; an experience you do not often see in mid day Portland.

“What's amazing about this experience is seeing even the models transform. Not only did the team at Paul Mitchell bring out the most sophisticated chicness in the ladies, the luxury fit garments of Academy of Couture Art had the girls experiencing a new totally view of who they are as women. You can see it in the photos.”

That said, we have to agree and let the photos speak. Cheers to the west coast woman!

Career Highlight: French Couture For Ready-to-Wear: It’s all in the Eye

Academy of Couture Art (ACA) congratulates graduate Heidi AN as she takes a bold, confident step to build her own line in NYC. 

ACA Grad Heidi AN
for Urban Outfitters

Heidi’s journey since graduation was surprisingly an easy one for career opportunities. She was placed right away as Assistant Designer in Downtown Los Angeles with a starting salary of $800 weekly.

Most people are now probably thinking, sure, that’s because of the school’s network. Well, building a name in the industry goes beyond the school. That takes skills and rich, marketable creativity.

Right after she started her first job, Heidi presented a collection that was, well, ahead of its time. It kind of surprised her company. Having been to Premiere Vision in Paris with ACA she suggested that the Head Designer visit the show in NYC which was actually scheduled just a few weeks ahead. When the Head Designer returned, Heidi was right on spot and her salary showed it. 

It didn’t take long before she was scouted by another company with immediate entry as Head Designer. This time her designs would reach Urban Outfitters and Forever 21. 

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=22525695&navAction=jump&navCount

Being the best requires a lot of passion to endure the long hours, serious training to sustain creativity, eye for producing collection after collection with timeless “I’ve got to have it” quality, and a centeredness that is the sign of true leadership. 

Heidi excelled in the industry and revealed a confidence in her art that gave her platform to move forward with her message to the world. This summer Heidi moved to NYC to begin her own line. 

Academy of Couture Art congratulates you Heidi on this amazing journey and cheers you on as you transform fashion one collection at a time! 

Career Highlight: Life Moves Fast for Couture Minded Designers

Congratulations to Fashion Designer Victoria CATES (Academy of Couture Art Associate of Arts Degree in Fashion Design) winner of the 2011 Velvet Brigade Design Competition (http://www.velvetbrigade.com/design/postmodernist-babydoll-dress).

Victoria CATES moved back home to NY right after graduating with a specialized Associate Degree in Fashion Design. A bit uncertain what the future would bring in this new job market, Victoria reached out with her distinct portfolio and high energy to produce. It was only a couple of months later that she landed an internship with Nicole MILLER (NYC).

On the side, Victoria sketched; entering her design in the Velvet Brigade design competition: Postmodernist BabyDoll Dress, a sexy, sheer, little babydoll dress inspired by the band ‘Hole’ in the early 90’s.

As the votes rolled in, she announced the re-opening of her shop Gilded Cat on Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/GildedCat) featuring vintage listings of cute summer stuff.

“Excellent! I’m finally getting down to business here!” She prepares for the launch of her own website with runway looks from her graduation debut at Academy of Couture Art, a course included in her degree program.

When you are born for it, highly trained professionally, and passionately productive, the doors open for much more to come. Her design will now be manufactured and sold under the Velvet Brigade competition win. One more design for the website and a name that you should watch.

West Coast Fashion

Paul Mitchell the school Portland Hair and Makeup team partners with Academy of Couture Art Bachelor Degree Fashion Designers as Creative Directors of the runway show Rock ‘n’ Dolls for Fest on the Square, Portland.

Presented by PDX Catwalk Productions & Portland House of Fashion & Academy of Couture Art, Los Angeles with Cat Walk Music Community, Music: Drum Jam & Keegan Smith August 6, 2011 Pioneer Square Portland, OR.

Runway designers include Angela CHUY, Kay ENYART, Max FREIERMUTH, Sarah KIM, Margaret ROBERTS, and Mariana ROMERO.

What more can a girl ask for? High energy rock and luxury couture looks. That is a recipe for Rock ‘n’ Dolls.

This Saturday, August 6, Hollywood brings the luxury, Austin brings real rock, and Portland speaks the voice of our generation. We love to see such important cities uniting on the West Coast. Watch out East Coast; this is the future of fashion!