When faculty and community partners get together, great things happen. Take, for example, the recent luncheon event Family and Consumer Sciences’ Apparel Design and Merchandising students hosted by students and community partners in the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles.
Under the direction of Shirley Warren (Family and Consumer Sciences, Lecturer), students learned how to create an event to meet and mix with industry professionals. Apparel Design and Merchandising faculty Hira Cho, Wei Cao and Marine Boyadzhyan were also there. Long time donor and friend to the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences Joe Vecchiarelli, CEO of Fashion Supplies Inc. opened the doors of the Fashion District to these students. Joe has been a primary sponsor of the annual TRENDS Fashion Show for the past ten years. 
The students knew Joe had arranged for a surprise speaker, but it happened to be someone further along the same path most of the students are walking today. Nick Verreos, winner of Project Runway, season two, shared his experience and expertise, including the fact that after winning Project Runway, he went on to become a judge for the show and still blogs for their website.
Nick talked about how he worked his way up through the ranks in the Los Angeles fashion industry, ultimately creating his own fashion line, NIKOLAKI, with business partner David Paul in 2001. Their gowns have been worn on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, and their fashions are favorites of a variety of stars including CSUN alumna, Eva Longoria.
And as an added plus, the students got swag. Even though Apparel Design and Merchandising students use software in some of their designing, nothing beats the old fashioned hardware that comes with the trade. Professionals from local businesses treated the students to discounts on design supplies and tools.
Did You Know? In addition to supporting the TRENDS fashion show, Joe Vecchiarelli is involved with another show you might be familiar with: He just started his 10th season working with ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. Fashion Supplies Inc. provides the mannequin style dress forms (pictured left) that are used by costumers when creating and sizing the dancers’ costumes.
Read more about the 2014 CSUN TRENDS fashion show and see photos in CSUN Today.
Save the Date: The 2015 TRENDS Student Fashion show is set for April 25, 2015.
Jean O'Sullivan
F2014