Artistry in Fashion 2012 Report

Sunshine, smiles, creativity, inspiration, and a new purse and scarf, those are just some of the things that I found at Cañada College at last Saturday's Artistry in Fashion day.  My sister-in-law, who's a wonderful seamstress herself, and I met up there and enjoyed the vendors, the designer fashion and styling show as well as Marsha McClintock's delightful trunk show.  Here are some of the pics and a quick review of the long day we spent there.  

The college itself is on the top of a hill and overlooks the beautiful green hills across the valley....whose name I have forgotten but whose beauty always soothes me.

The open courtyard provides space for the clothing, accessory and jewelry designers and also a showcase amphitheatre.
My first purchase came from the talented Lenore Española from Lenore Collection Lenore Collection who designs these terrific bags with recycled paper.  

My "green" bag back home in Baltimore

woven recycled paper 

Here's hoping this enthusiastic designer continues her green and practical designs.

Mary Lou Rankin and lovely Park Bench Design garments

I've been attending sewing expos for almost twenty years now and it was a surprise and treat to see a familiar face from that circuit, which has diminished over time.  Mary Lou Rankin owns Park Bench Patterns which have a relaxed fit and allow for tremendous creativity in fabric choices and combinations.  Since the fashion trends seem to be swinging that way for tops and jackets, I think there will be new interest in these patterns again. Her fabric choices and color selections were simply beautiful.  I probably like them so much because she and I have similar fair skinned coloring and I was awash in an inkwell of black in other fashion booths.

Since I sew for myself I'm always forgetting that people actually buy clothes, not patterns or fabric at these affairs.  Thank goodness for these designers and design students that most of Americans don't sew, right?

I did see plenty of people buying buttons and beads for any number of craft project ideas.  Me, I've stopped buying buttons "on spec" although they are tempting, just like little jewels of their own.
After a few hours of shopping we got to sit and watch the designers showcase.  Rhonda Chaney, who heads the design program at the college, has been someone I've admired for years.  I watched her do a fantastic trunk show presentation at the American Sewing Guild national convention in Birmingham more than 10 years ago.  She was remarkably creative in her clothing, fabric and pattern choices but also the most organized, thorough and helpful of any sewing instructor in her presentation.  I'm sure her students and colleagues benefit from all those skills.  

Rhonda Chaney introducing the designers' fashion show

After a quick nibble we went indoors for the highlight of the day, a Saf-T-Pockets Saf-T-Pockets Patterns fashion show narrated by owner Marsha McClintock.  I took many pictures but most of them are too blurry to post so check out her site gallery for more details (Note to student models...stop and let us see the details.)  Here's about the best I could do:

Marsha herself

Marla Kazell wearing the Circle Jacket at the Saf-T-pockets booth

After the fashion show, Marsha gave a bonus demo in the fashion design classrooms where students had their garments and projects on display.  Such talent and enthusiasm!  

Student works on display

I finished the day by making another purchase, inspired by Jill's post about Harlequin Feltworks .  Jenne's scarves caught my eye and the hard part was deciding which one to buy.  

The one I chose had the green's and blues of the CA sky and coast line and lovely golds which remind me of the aspens I spied blanketing the west's mountains as we flew back to Baltimore the next morning.  So glad we could have time with family and I could enjoy these artisans.  Here's hoping you have people in your creative life who inspire and motivate you.

Oh, if you're every in the SFO airport area, here's a terrific little place that we found in Millbrae:

Our last delicious CA meal