Frank Lloyd Wright Continues To Inspire Young People
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust and the Fashion Design Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) recently created the “Wright 150 Fashion Design Awards.”
The junior class of fashion design students from SAIC toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House in Chicago, which is maintained and operated by the Trust, and created original design proposals for garments inspired by Wright’s iconic architecture. SAIC’s Fashion Design faculty then selected ten semi-finalists for the design jury to select a first and second prize, plus two honorable mentions.
Hana Chang won first prize for a long coat. Ms. Chang’s garment reflects the jewel-like character of Robie House as its inspiration, referencing its larger aesthetic concept. Robie House is often described as a jewel box and as the jewel in the crown of Chicago architecture – an icon of modernism. Ms. Chang’s colorful laser-cut applications, entirely her own designs, demonstrate a creative approach that creates a unique work of art. Her coat is exquisitely detailed and polished.
Xinyi (Teresa) Lin won second prize, with a jacket dress. Ms. Lin’s garment (below) takes its inspiration from the windows of Robie House. A dress in deep yellow with horizontal strokes of green and brown is overlaid with a transparent plastic jacket. Its structured sleeves and high collar are detailed with geometric patterns of her own design. Ms. Lin’s jacket dress is inventive and forward thinking in the spirit of Wright.
The work of Maria Beniaris and Scarlet Le garnered honorable mentions. Ms. Beniaris’ proposal for a layered gown was inspired by the varied wall textures and soft earth tones of the Robie House interior. Ms. Lin’s evening dress, inspired by the architectural plans for Robie House, combines the contours of architectural drawing with garment design in an engaging proposal that explores form and transparency.
The two award-winning garments will be fabricated and displayed in the showroom window of Jil Sander, 48 E. Oak Street, Chicago, from April 24-30. Proposals for the honorable mentions, along with the finalists’ proposals, will be displayed in the Jil Sander showroom during that week.
The garments will then be featured at Fashion 2017, a one-night only showcase of student creations, taking place May 5 at VenueSix10 at the Spertus Institute, 610 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago For more information, visit saic.edu/fashion2017.
The award-winning garments also will be on display on May 18 at Wright Night in downtown The Rookery Building, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust annual benefit event and kickoff to the Wright Plus 150 Housewalk weekend. For event invitations, contact Director of Development Tom Gull at 312.994.4010 or [email protected].
Robie House photo courtesy of www.mimoa.eu.
Robie House windows photo courtesy of www.colorfulrevolution.com