Fashion, Photography Collide In Show at Ringling College

Collaborative creativity crawled the catwalk at a special fashion show at Ringling College of Art and Design Tuesday night.

The Photography and Digital Imaging (PDI) Department held its annual PH_ASHION show where photography created by Ringling College PDI students, who collaborated with Dream Weaver and the local fashion industry to create gallery images. The art display was followed by a runway show featuring fashions from the Dream Weaver Collection and PLANET at Dream Weaver.  

“This is the fourth year we’ve had the show, and it’s the result of a semester-long class in fashion photography,” said Christine Lange. “These 15 students have worked with a complete design team to put together an exhibit and runway show. For them, this is the ‘ta-da’ moment.”

The Ringling College artists exhibiting included Lisa Dolny, Austin Eguia, Dee Garone, Nicole Geletka, Kenneth Sterling Gronquist, Samantha Harthoorn, Alyxandra Llano, Rosaleen Magnone, Margaret McCoy, Kassie O'Brien, Alexis Schultz, Katey Shelton, Kameron Stewart, Samantha Valdes and China Carmen Vannest.

Dee Garone, a student who created two stunning prints in the show depicting Maleficent, the evil queen from “Snow White” and Jafar, the antagonist from “Aladdin”, stood in front of her work discussing how she came up with the theme.

“I was watching Disney movies,” she said. “During the shoot, I shot 10 models with 10 different outfits, and I did their hair and makeup.”

Garone explained that in addition to the work she does for school, she specializes in the application of “sci-fi” make-up. As a result, Maleficent and Jafar looked exceptional in her photographs.

Many of the students displaying at the show stood proudly in front of their work, answering questions about the effects they employed in their prints.  Alyxandra Llano, a third-year student from North Carolina, explained how she was able to make her model’s scarf appear as if it were flowing in the wind, when her hair wasn’t moving at all.

“I had a friend standing beside her (the model),” she said. “I was having her hold the scarf while she (the friend) was standing on an apple box.”

The rather large crowd seemed impressed by the work on display at the Diane Roskamp Exhibition Hall, and the photographs and artists were getting quite a bit of attention. Anju Kulkarni, Ringling College Faculty, Photography & Digital Imaging, said she was very proud of the students’ accomplishments.

“These photographs reflect sophistication that is the result of unique ideas, cultural sensitivity, collaboration, and meticulous attention to detail, " she said.

The last hour of the exhibition included a runway show, incorporating fashions from the Dream Weaver Collection, which also provided wardrobe for the students’ photo shoots. Lange said that the purpose of the evening was not only to showcase the students’ work to the public, but also to give them a glimpse into the world of professional fashion photography.

“These photographs are all very different styles,” she said. “This is a chance for the students to see their final outcome. They really have a lot of fun with it.”

For more information about the Photography and Digital Imaging Department or any other programs at the Ringling School of Art and Design, please visit the website at www.ringling.edu.