SAIC'S Sage Studios

The School of the Art Institute Chicago has opened Sage Studios! The doors to many of the classrooms in the 25,000 square ft. Sage Studios opened into rows of shiny sewing machines that glistened. In another, walls of tiled photographs papered the wall and cloth mannequins adorned in students’ designs beckoned. The only thing amiss about the picture is instead of students hard at work, a stunning crowd filled the fabrication ateliers and hallways of the new Sage Studios for Fashion Design. Soon enough, the fashion design students will be hard at work, heads bowed at sewing machines, bent over sketches, cutting patterns and pinning hems; but this evening was about relaxation and celebration.

The dedication of the Sage Studios in the historic Sullivan Center at
36 S. Wabash was marked by an exciting evening filled with some of the city’s biggest fashion philanthropists, educators and creators. The reception honored the generosity of Melissa Sage Fadim and the Sage Foundation who’s support and enduring belief in the fashion program made the large new studio and equipment possible.

The school was also marking another milestone with the up-coming launch of its Master of Design in Fashion, Body and Garment in fall 2008. The venerable Mayor Daley was on hand to offer remarks about the importance of supporting the burgeoning fashion industry, and he complimented Sage on her dedication to the arts and to making Chicago a world class city. Guests mingled amongst the classrooms and raised their glasses to the new center with a mixture of awe and pride. Alumni of SAIC includes notable designers as Halston, Cynthia Rowley, Laurence Steele, J. Morgan Puett, Eunwha Kim, Maria Pinto, Gary Graham, and Matthew Ames.
www.saic.edu
-Kari Skaflen

Fashion Scholarship News!
On the topic of fashion and education, the Chicago Fashion Foundation, Chicago's non-profit for scholarships and education for fashion students is hosting its first fundraiser and award benefit at Macy's, 111 North State Street, 7th floor, on March 5, 2008 from 6:00-8:00 pm. Tickets are $20 for students and $30 for CFF members and $40 for non-members, which can be purchased online at www.chicagofashionfoundation.com or at the door, the night of the event. "We are really excited to bring this award to fruition, the CFF has been in existence for multiple years but this is the first year we have been able to truly express who we are and move forward towards the goal of helping Chicago student designers continue to prosper in the great city of Chicago," said Kristen Amato, President CFF.