Career Studio Sketchbook: Fashion Design Sketches by FIDM Students: FashionClub

September 2005
Welcome to Fashion Club's Sketchbook. Ever wonder what "real" Fashion Design sketches look like?

The following nine images are designs created by FIDM's Advanced Study students in the Fashion Design program. These sketches were later turned into actual outfits that the students sent down the runway on some LA's top professional models at FIDM's annual Debut Fashion Show.

Tae Kyoung Lee

Tae Kyoung Lee's inspiration was fluffy yarns. Green yarns in particular reminded her of nature, and of a comfy, wooly, and warm feeling. Her shapes are simple, generally sticking to basic squares and rectangles, but they appear complex because she combines different textures. As a child in Korea, Tae's mother asked her what she wanted to do when she grew up and she chose drawing. In design school in Korea, she found herself mainly taking dyeing, weaving, and textile classes, and became very interested in fabric and texture. As soon as she graduated, she left Korea and came to the U.S. to continue her education as a Fashion Designer at FIDM. Her design specialty is knitwear.

Shannon Marie Figgins

Shannon Marie Figgins was inspired by the sophistication of the 1930s and the drama of the film The Matrix. She combined masculine tailoring and feminine touches, resulting in modern vintage. Born in Montana and raised in Washington state, Shannon came to FIDM with no previous sewing or design experience, and won the prestigious Fashion Design Award at graduation. She also won first place in the Steven Dodd footwear design competition and gained her first sewing experience when she won a contest designing a tuxedo for a chimp! Next, she will study fashion in Italy.

Season Hall

Season Hall was inspired by the innocence of children. She worked with bright, rich colors and fun textures. Painted ladybugs adorned her '50s-inspired day dress. Denim, cotton, and linen are some of the wearable, durable fabrics that she relies on and loves to embellish with trims and unusual buttons. Though always artistic, Season grew up in Utah where she was involved in soccer and track. While she initially set out to become an elementary school teacher, her love of the creative arts won out and she transferred to FIDM. While in school she worked as a Buyer.

Kok Wai Wong

Kok Wai Wong's designs took inspiration from his birthplace of Malaysia, from ethnic cultures around the world, and from graphic design. His colors were vibrant, with bold African prints composed of huge geometric shapes with solid colors for the background. Born in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, Kok Wai grew up in a small town nearby where he was always interested in art. He began reading his sister's fashion magazines and sketched his first designs when he was 14. Soon, his sister was waiting for him to buy the fashion magazines. Kok attended design school in Kuala Lumpur and worked at the Versace boutique there to learn more about the fashion industry before relocating to Los Angeles to study at FIDM.

Jeong A. Park

The essential spirit of Jeong A. Park's design was exquisite elegance and refinement, with a touch of modern glamour. Her details included gathers, pleats, cording, and top-stitching. Jeong was born in Busan, South Korea, and moved to the U.S. to pursue her fashion career. Her interest in fashion, however, first began when she was just six years old. Raised by a mother with a talent for fashion and art, she often asked her mother to make her specific outfits to wear. At her mother's knitting shop, Jeong learned a lot about design, yarn, and color, and knitted sweaters and skirts for her dolls. She earned an M.B.A. before coming to the U.S. to study fashion at FIDM.

Florence Leleji

Based on the romantic theme "Watery Dusk," Florence Leleji's designs were inspired by a photograph that captured the sun setting in her native Nigeria. Florence used sheer, soft, and delicate fabrics to create lots of flow and movement. In addition, there were lots of puffy effects and flounces. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Florence always excelled in art. At 17 she inherited two Singer sewing machines from her mother on the condition she learn how to sew. She earned her bachelor's degree in Education and English in Nigeria and worked in the corporate world, but could not ignore her passion for fashion. She applied to FIDM, and moved to the U.S. to attend FIDM's Fashion Design program.

Elias Luna

Elias Luna's designs involved fabrics with texture, and bold colors like pinks with hints of blue. His designs flatter a woman's body, and he feels that women don't need to reveal a lot of skin to look sexy. Elias was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and loved drawing as a young boy. He learned how to sew at a young age, and designed and made clothes for his sisters' Barbie dolls. By the time he was in high school, Elias was designing and sewing dresses for his sisters and friends, and was the only male in his high school to take a sewing class. Though he was accepted at FIDM, at first he didn't have the confidence to go through with the program, and pursued a career in banking. Later, after helping a friend with some costumes, his passion for fashion was re-ignited and he entered FIDM's evening program.

Albert Ng

FIDM student Albert Ng's designs were in basic black and white, with nubby multicolored knitted linings, sleeves, and trims. His hems were asymmetrical and his edges were unfinished. He accented many of his designs with a ragged circular patch at the waist or hip. Albert was born in Hong Kong and as a young boy showed talent in the arts, including music, painting, and acting. After moving to the U.S. to study fine arts, he won a new-talent singing contest, and returned to China to become a host of a music program and an actor in a TV series. After five years on television, fashion was calling him, so he decided to give up his career in front of the cameras and move back to the U.S. to study Fashion Design at FIDM.

Yuki Morii

Yuki Morii's kids' wear design was based on the kimono, the traditional Japanese garment, combined with imaginative punk influences and Asian trims. She mixed Japanese obi belts with belts from punk-style bondage pants. She also used playful touches such as beading, patchwork, and spray painting. Yuki hails from Japan. She came to the U.S. directly after high school and attended English language school for a year before coming to FIDM to study Fashion Design. After graduating from FIDM with her A.A. degree, she worked for a bridal company while applying for FIDM's Advanced Study Program in Fashion Design.

Quyen C. Ha

Men's designer Quyen C. Ha's design interests are centered on dressy to casual sportswear for young men. In her designs, she used fine natural fabrics such as wool, tweeds, silks, and unique vintage fabrics. Her colors are earth tones of green, brown, black, and gray with vivid hints of neon yellow and lime green thrown in. Born in Thailand, Quyen 's family hails from a small island south of Vietnam. She arrived in the U.S. when she was two years old, and spent her childhood in Southern California, where she often expressed herself through drawing and painting. She was featured in her middle-school's yearbook as the next Picasso. At FIDM, she felt instantly comfortable with her fashion curriculum and threw herself into her studies.

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email them to us at info@fashionclub.com