Summer 2010 Alumni News Dear Jay, SFD circa 1938 Connect with other alumni! Upload photos and share news and announcements! Lisa Cesso ('96) in "Best of Boston" With the kind of heat we've experienced this summer, nothing beats jumping into the ocean with all your clothes on (as long as you're not wearing couture)! At least it looks like that's what the SFD Class of 1938 thought! Since I began working with the School of Fashion Design last year on alumni relations, one of my favorite tasks has been to browse through archived photographs. If pictures really speak a thousand words, the School of Fashion Design could write an epic with all the photos that tell of its rich 76-year history. It's your story, SFD alumni, and you can help contribute. If you have any photos from your time as a student at SFD, please send them to us and help keep our history alive! In the meantime, you might print out this edition for a good quick beach read to see what we've been up to during these hot summer days and "meet" SFD Board President Robert Rutkauskas. Read on for details and other news. Jennifer Leclerc SFD Alumni Relations Alumni Spotlight: Boye Asenuga (2008) Boston Magazine "Best of Boston" Check out photos from Natick Collection's Form to Boye Asenuga, CEO of ChicNicity and SFD alum, recently co-founded and produced a new annual Boston fashion show for the socially conscious. "Eye Candy," launched June 24 at 1 of 5 8/12/10 2:04 PM
Fashion event, featuring School of Fashion Design alum Lisa Cesso ('96) in Boston Magazines "Best of Boston" issue, hitting newsstands now!! Lisa Cesso, 2nd from left Featured Event: Denise Hajjar Anniversary Sale! Denise Hajjar celebrates four years at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel! I could never fully express my gratitude to all that have helped make my boutique a success. My birthday gift to you: Now through August 15th, whatever in the store already marked down will now be 75% off. Everything else will be 55% off, including all accessories. (special orders or made to order items not part of the sale) This WILL NOT be advertised anywhere else. This is a private sale for you; my customers, friends & family. Denise Hajjar Boutique Boston's District Lounge, marked the first annual fashion show benefit event for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Asenuga styled more than 15 models for the show, including Miss Connecticut Ashley Bickford and Hannah Gilligan Commoss, the former president of the Junior League Boston. The event highlighted pieces from local boutiques, including Donna + Erica, Lily & Migs, Sara Campbell, Holiday, Crush and Viola Lovely. Several models also wore signature jewelry from Shreve, Crump & Low. The event, emceed by Mix 104.1 FM's Kennedy, raised about $5,000 for the MSPCC. More than 100 attended. The show was featured in the Examiner, Stuff Magazine, Dirty Water News, and Fab Empire and The Boston Sophisticate blogs. EVENTS! Alumni Sample Sale September 10th-12th As part of Fashion's Night Out and in anticipation of Boston Fashion Week, The School of Fashion Design is looking for alumni to participate in our first Alumni Sample Sale from Friday, September 10th through Sunday, September 12th with an opening preview/reception on Friday, September 12th from 6:00 pm to 9 pm. With the start of the new school year, the arrival of thousands of new students to the city, the lovely early fall weather and our prime location on Newbury Street we anticipate a great response to our sample sale. This is a fundraiser for the school so we are asking participating designers to donate a portion of their proceeds to the school. For more information on how to participate please call 617.536.9343 or email us. "Day Trip " to NYC! September 17th Join SFD students on our next New York City trip, where we spend the day fabric shopping, visiting the Museum at FIT to view the ECO-Fashion: Going Green and Japan Fashion Now exhibits and just enjoying the sites and sounds of NYC. The cost is just $50. If you would like to join us please call 617.536.9343 or email us. Boston Fashion Week 2010 September 24th - October 1st Save the dates for this week-long celebration of 2 of 5 8/12/10 2:04 PM
Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel 617-927-5990 Store Hours: S / 9:30 am to 2:30 pm M-T-W / 10 am to 7 pm Th-F-S / 10 am to 8 pm Meet SFD Board President Robert Rutkauskas Born to show business parents, I spent my early childhood enjoying the arts, theater and music. I began privately studying art at a very young age with painter/teacher Sarah Annette Washburn Scott. Along with the tutorage of Ms. Scott I studied painting and sculpture at the Whistler House, the home of James Abbott McNeill Whistler and continued on to study painting at the Boston Museum School with Francesco Carbone. After graduating from The New England School of Art at Suffolk University, I started a life-long journey into fashion. My career began at Filene's Department Stores and it was there, while working in the display department, that I became fascinated with the fashion industry and the artistry of creative merchandising and fashion promotion. Being my first position of many, it gave me the opportunity to work Boston style, and look for a full schedule to be posted mid-august. Some of the distinguished SFD alumni that will be participating in the week include Daniela Corte and Denise Hajjar. This year Boston Fashion Week partnered with Fashion Group International of Boston to choose five fresh new fashion designers to feature during the week. Two new SFD alumni, Victoria Dominguez and Porntip 'Aey', were selected to be a part of this showcase called The Launch. Be sure to sign up for emails, and follow the founder on Twitter. http://www.bostonfashionweek.com Denise Hajjar's 2010 Fall Fashion Show September 28th, 6:00pm Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel New Fall Collection of Day & evening wear. This event will benefit Dress for Success - Boston. 2011 StyleWeek Providence Scheduled for Jan 16th-22nd New England designers are invited to participate. If you are interested in learning more, please email Steven Aronis, Event Director & Designer Contact: steven@styleweekprovidence.com http://www.styleweekprovidence.com/ Alumni News Mary Allen Sullivan ('72) For 20 years my sister and I have owned a window treatment and slipcover business. It happened after I met a woman who is an interior decorator in NYC who convinced me I should try using my sewing skills to make slipcovers. She bought 40 yards of striped denim and told me to learn on my own furniture. From that point on there was no turning back. We have worked on projects with her in our home town of Stonington Ct, but have been quite fortunate to have also built up a large clientele of our own. Barbara Gonyeo ('93) After moving to the Rochester NY area, I went back to school again and became an elementary school teacher. I design and sew yoga mat bags and eye pillows and sell them at local yoga studios. This year I joined two women in Costa Rica to create a start-up company there designing and sewing home textile items for them to bring to our stitcher, and we have just begun presenting our product to stores. It means a lot to me to stay connected to SFD! 3 of 5 8/12/10 2:04 PM
alongside leading designers, celebrities, and trendsetters worldwide. With my eyes wide open and an enthusiastic spirit, I have worked in the fashion industry over 40 years, holding senior level fashion titles throughout my career in various positions, including: Display Director, Fashion Director, TV/Press Spokesperson and Fashion Consultant. I've produced, directed, narrated and hosted fashion shows with major fashion magazines, newspapers, national retailers and brands all over the world, always seeking the latest trends. I am presently the Director of Trend, Color and CAD for Lane Bryant, a division of Charming Shoppes, Inc. I am happy to say that I still travel the world, often throughout Europe and the Far East in search of fashion and trend information. SFD in the News Noel Alvarez ('95) I have been designing and sewing for my bridal and stage customers over 15 years. I have just recently created a website to display my bridal collection. The photos were taken during my first photo shoot this past February. I am very proud of my experience at SFD, and I think that SFD, especially my favorite teacher, Daniel Faucher, prepared me quite well. Wherever I go, I praise the value of a fashion design education from SFD. Ken Hassett ('96) Shortly after finishing at SFD, I started my own business on the Cape, a small hotel in Provincetown called The Carriage House. I am also in the process of starting a healthy take out in Boston's South End where I spend my winters. It will be called The Wholy Grain and I expect to open early September on the corner of Hanson and Shawmut Ave. My time at SFD has certainly helped with interior design projects related to the hotel and the new cafe. The courses gave me confidence in my own sense of design and style and I very much appreciate it for that. Amy Ozay ('04) On May 11, Amy Ozay welcomed a new baby girl into her family - Ayda Mae Ozay, weighing in at 9 lbs 5 oz. Congratulations Amy! Things never stop at SFD. Summer classes began on June 7th. Twenty-six high school students are participating in the July session of our High School Prep Program which began on July 6th and the next session of the Prep Program begins on August 2nd Hard to believe but fall classes are just around the corner starting on Wednesday, September 8. In Memoriam Denyse Gravel Sinesi ('57) The School of Fashion Design remembers Denyse Gravel Sinesi of the Class of 1957, who we recently learned passed away last year after a long illness. Denyse was born in Québec in 1930, and came to the US in 1955 to study design in Boston. Not only was Denyse a beloved student of SFD, but she was also inherently part of the rich history we speak of. It was while a student here at SFD that Denyse met and later married Paul Sinesi, son of SFD founder Isobel Sinesi. They were married for 52 years. She was 79 years old and residing in Naples, Florida, where she was a long time member of Lely Resort Golf & Country Club and a patron of the Alliance Francaise de Bonita 4 of 5 8/12/10 2:04 PM
Springs. News to share? We always want to hear from you! Email us! We are interested in hearing about job or internship opportunities for graduating students, recent grads, and seasoned design professionals who may be looking for work in this difficult economy. If you are looking for work or interested in teaching at SFD, let us know. Sincerely, Jennifer Leclerc Alumni Relations School of Fashion Design alumni@sfdboston.com This email was sent to sfdboston@aol.com by alumni@sfdboston.com. Update Profile/Email Address Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by School of Fashion Design 136 Newbury Street Boston MA 02116 5 of 5 8/12/10 2:04 PM