“Well, if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to wear the proper clothes,” shares Grace Kelly as “Lisa” in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954). Certainly she did and what better way to uphold her legend in fashion with a modern day rendition of Ms. Kelly’s wardrobe.

Be the first in the U.S. to view the Monaco Charity Film Festival collection at the Academy of Couture Art 2012 Haute Couture Fashion Show and Gala, Le Rêve, June 23 at the Sofitel Hotel, Los Angeles. For tickets, more on the runway and special guests visit: www.CoutureShows.com.

Designers Angela CHUY WU, Katherine ENYART, Sarah KIM, Rachel NOURMAND, Margaret ROBERTS, Mariana ROMERO TEJEDA, and Raquel VAN DAALEN WETTERS will present looks for a collection inspired by Grace Kelly to celebrate the festivities. The occasion marks a royal event with special anticipated guests that share passion for the late actress.

The Grace Kelly collection will debut in the U.S. at Le Rêve 2012 Biannual Academy of Couture Art Haute Couture Fashion Show and Gala, June 23, Sofitel Hotel, Los Angeles where HRH Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark along with other special diplomatic, entertainment, and fashion industry guests show their support.  To find out more on the event visit www.CoutureShows.com.

Academy of Couture Art had the pleasure of illustrating a woman of amazing passions. Last week, Rachel Bailit was a special guest of ACA Modèle Vivant. In addition to her gorgeous figure she has a humble, thoughtful positivity that is a model for all.

Rachel has an impressive background as a broadcast journalist. Her first film went straight to the heart of politics with a work under the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign, “Making the Difference”. Theater, TV, film, commercials, fashion magazines, and more are sparkling gems in her dossier.

This is one woman you want to keep your eyes on. As a fashion muse, she’s got more genuine class and demeanor than most. We love her energy and of course our designers loved finding out all about the world of acting, directing, producing, modeling, and fashion journalism. Key components of their success as luxury designers.

Among the students, this was a great insight into life as a couturier. When you move into one-of-a-kind designing, you get to know your client, capture the way they move, and share their uniqueness in the sketch. After all, it’s all about garments that bring out the best of each other.

Rachel, we hope to see you again soon… bringing out the best of our fashion gala guests on the red carpet! ;D

The lecture, conducted by LACMA costume curator Kaye D. Spilker, discussed the importance and uniqueness of California fashion and its effect on the rest of the world. Hollywood fashions by designers such as Adrian were an influence to Parisian couture, and the fashions were often scheduled to appear in stores when the films opened for the public to buy the looks.

Because of our casual lifestyle, of course outdoor clothing and swimwear were important contributions to the fashion world. By 1955, Christian Dior himself designed a line of bathing suits for the important California  swimsuit manufacturer, Cole of California, showing how much the California “look” inspired others.

Back in class after the lecture, the students discussed some of the things that most interested them.  Several were impressed by a stunning black bathing suit with the rhinestone buckles and steel boning;  curator Spilker complained that it was very uncomfortable and practically unusable for swimming- of course, many suits in the 1950s were more for posing next to the pool than actually taking a dip- one’s hair and make up would be ruined if they actually got wet!!

Other students were amused by a casual playsuit designed by Dede Johnson with the drawings of outdoor barbeque scenes and the “he and she” matching “lobster swimsuits” designed by Mary Ann DeWeese in 1949 for Catalina Sportswear. One student saw inspiration from South American influences he planned to use in his own presentation to the class in the final week. And they all enjoyed seeing Joan Crawford in the white dress designed by Adrian for “Lottie Lenyon,” since it had been included it in a lecture three weeks ago and they remembered the story of how popular the dress became when it was offered for sale in department stores in 1932, selling 500,000 copies!

Another beautiful garment was a gold lamé maillot-style bathing suit designed by Margit Fellegi for Cole of California (probably as a promotional outfit to be worn by Cole spokeswoman Esther Williams) and still another was a cute and festive polka dot swim suit and jacket also designed by Fellegi for Cole. Spiker also showed some contributions by Austrian born, California designer Rudi Gernreich whose innovative designs were years ahead of their time.

The LACMA Costume Council lecture was a wonderful chance for the ACA students to get some reinforcement for the ideas and information that they have been learning in class, and such reinforcement, coming from another lecturer, only enhances their learning experience. Every student admitted how much they had enjoyed the lecture, and it’s great that the Academy of Couture Art is so close to LACMA because we can continue to enjoy and learn from the fashion collections and exhibits there.

Mary Ann DeWeese in 1949 for Catalina Sportswear

Dede Johnson playsuit late 1950s

Woman's Swimsuit and Jacket (c1950) Margit Fellegi for Cole of California

Images sourced by LACMA

Mr. Chagoury’s meet and greet with our upcoming summer gala designers was priceless inspiration and motivation. Having just dressed Entertainment Tonight host Nancy O’Dell and Mingle Media TV’s Kristyn Burtt in stunning Oscar red carpet gowns, the maestro shared perspective on how to cope, work with, and make a beautiful presentation on such a momentous occasion.

The first audience question hit right on business and success. “How did you get started?” His double major in design and marketing took him from design with Dior to PR. Yet, on the side, he continued creating in his atelier. Orders kept growing and soon he was launching his own line. A very valuable example of being born as a designer and finding success in what you love to do. If you are a creator, you create!

As you can image, a common occurring question among designers in the premiere U.S. Couture fashion school looks at the relationship between custom, one-of-a-kind and ready-to-wear. Mr. Chagoury perfects his craft primarily in custom evening and wedding gowns but is growing his ready-to-wear. He has vision for touching more lives with beauty by extending his line to incorporate accessories and other collections.

For inspiration, sometimes one looks far and pulls from the magic and fantasy of the theatre. One source that has recently touched Mr. Chagoury comes directly from Vegas.

And what about taking risks? How does a designer be courageous working with color and fabrics you think don’t match but you love? How do you move forward when people say it won’t work?

"I was telling everyone, 'I see it!' and those are the pieces that work best."

“When you have a collection, one bold piece can be balanced by the 24 others. There is one lime green dress in my collection that the industry said would not work. Now it’s my best seller. I was telling everyone, “I see it!” and those are the pieces that work best. For ready-to-wear, it may be different, but for me, when someone wants couture, they want different. When you see a couture dress, you want Wow!”

In final thought we come to the question served in Academy of Couture Art’s degree programs and, more importantly, fashion show preparation and manufacturing courses. Does a designer need to know about pattern making? “Now, I simply do not have time. I have my pattern maker who knows my style and what I like. Yet still I go back and make changes to the pattern. A designer has to understand and know how to work with the pattern.”

Mr. Chagoury’s visit with Academy of Couture Art marks the budding of a growing shared mission to teach, inspire, and promote the next designers. We anticipate with excitement more to come in couture collaboration.

…Located in a Wilshire Boulevard high-rise, the academy’s curriculum is focused entirely on French couture techniques for making clothes that are luxurious, hand-sewn and precisely fitted. Its associate and bachelor degree programs offer students choices in two areas of specialization — pattern making and fashion design.

“By offering degrees in the specialized professions, we train in how the industry actually works according to the division of labor,” Été says.

“Haute couture means highest creativity, highest technique,” adds Été, whose students have gone on to work with couturier Roberto de Villacis, Nolan Miller and Badgley Mischka. “We want to take a student to the couture level to teach them the thinking process, creativity and technique. If you study at the highest level, you can always trickle down to any level in the industry,” says Été, whose curriculum includes work with beading, feathers and furs as well as classes in business development, manufacturing collaboration and trend forecasting. …

Read more at Majoring in chic at L.A.’s fashion schools

Newlywed Academy of Couture Art fashion and pattern designer Michelle OH, made her wedding. With a team of emerging designers coordinating, by hand, all the décor, Michelle took the time to craft a gown she will cherish forever. Since very young, Michelle had planned to be married under a Chanel inspiration. This year her dream came true. Her gown was designed in cutting edge Chanel-inspired style blending the traditional coat of queens worn when ascending the throne and a fashion forward look fitting her petite size that broke the boundaries for wedding attire. A mesh embroidered jacket lift high on the neck as the tailcoat draped into a snow sparkling train. From the front the gown sat delicately on a short petty coat adding an air of daring chic. Michelle’s wedding moment was captured in winter wonderland beauty displaying all the magic that crafts a couture design.

Bride & Designer Michelle SHIN with Academy of Couture Art Founder Sonia ETE

A fashionista snow bride is queen of her day. She sits in a world of luxury and glows in a rain of elegance. For the occasion, Academy of Couture Art designers took lead. Table stands and décor in Swarovski crystals were royal with doves of elegance signifying hope, promise, and God’s love. For Michelle’s occasion the dove shares meaning with feminine, creative energy as Academy of Couture Art students, Anna BAZHAEVA, Michelle PARSADAYAN, Rahel SHAREW, and Raquel VAN DAALEN WETTERS honor her talent.

Fashion and Pattern Design student Rahel SHAREW creating flower arrangements

Academy of Couture Art designer flower arrangement

The Wedding Team: Pattern Designer Raquel VAN DAALEN WETTERS, Fashion and Pattern Designer Rahel SHAREW, Fashion Designer and Stylist Anna BAZHAEVA, Fashion and Pattern Designer Michelle PARSADAYAN

In Spring of 2012 we will see the snow bride transformation as Michelle presents her couture gown in collection for the Academy of Couture Art runway. You’re invited to be ahead of trend as a member of the couture movement; friend the Academy of Couture Art Facebook community.

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 totally new 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!

Pattern Designer Katherine ENYART

Fashion Designer/Stylist Sarah KIM

Fashion Designer Margaret ROBERTS

Stay in trend with the movement | See more on Flickr

At Academy of Couture Art, we go much more in-depth on costume. We break it down into three quarters and take it to the next level in the bachelor years to haute couture garment and accessory analysis.

When it comes to famous parties past and present fashion is certainly in mind. For the National Geographic series, particular interest was on the woman that comes to a couture mind, Marie Antoinette.

Douglas SPESERT was thrilled. Questions of cost, make, and fabric were something quickly accessible. “I’ve been teaching this for years.”

“At that time, a typical dress that would be worn at a masked ball might be about 6500-8000 livres; about the cost of a Mercedes nowadays. The average tailor’s salary was only about 4 livres a month while the best paid seamstresses employed by other firms earned about 450 livres a year. You can see the astronomical costs for the materials and embellishments.”

“Connecting the past to present with a human character and contemplating the decisions behind everything are fascinating.”

Douglas SPESERT holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theater Arts from a UCLA and a Bachelor in History from UC Santa Cruz. His professional background spans a broad range of theatre, television, film, opera including costume design highlights with Showtime, HBO-Def Jam, Lionel Richie Production, Reebok, Don Giovanni (LA Opera).

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.

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 starting with an online jewelry boutique of cute finds, Alimonada.

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