ST. PETERSBURG, FLA (August 22, 2017) – This fall, The Dalí Museum will introduce a hands-on fashion design program for high school students in the Tampa Bay area in conjunction with the Museum’s special exhibition, Dalí & Schiaparelli, opening October 18. Fashion Design at The Dalí invites teens (grades 9-12) from surrounding counties to participate in a free, 13-week course where they’ll learn the fundamentals of fashion design, construction and runway presentation from experienced artists and designers. Leveraging the techniques and daring style of famed haute couture designer Elsa Schiaparelli and using non-traditional & upcycled materials, student designers will build tangible connections between art and fashion, ultimately creating their own wearable work of art inspired by renowned artist Salvador Dalí.
Fashion Design at The Dalí sessions will be held on Sundays from 2-5pm, September 17 through December 10, 2017 at The Dalí and the Pinellas County Center for the Arts (PCCA) located at Gibbs High School. The program is administered by award-winning costume designer and PCCA instructor, Trish Kelley who remarked, “Working with The Dalí provides a new opportunity for students to foster their talent and creative problem solving, drawing inspiration from two pioneers of design innovation, Dalí and Schiaparelli. I eagerly look forward to seeing the final fashions walk the runway, knowing they will have evolved through this unique creative learning process.”
The program will conclude with a fashion show and awards ceremony for the students and their families, where each designer’s wearable art masterpiece will walk the runway and be judged by leaders of the Museum and in the fashion field: Jeannine Hascall, Dalí Museum Board Member and fabric artist; Margaret de Lisser, Dalí Museum Board Member; Eugenie Bondurant, SAG/AFTRA actress and former Fashion Model; John William Barger, Fashion TV Correspondent and haute couture expert; and Ivanka Ska, Fashion Designer, Artist, Founder of House of SKA. Awards will be given for Best in Show; Best Use of Materials; Best Dalinian Interpretation; and Best Runway Presentation. The works will also be professionally photographed for display, along with renderings & sketches, in a special exhibition – free and open to the public – in The Dalí’s Raymond James Community Room from December 10, 2017 through January 1, 2018.
The Museum is accepting applications for Fashion Design at The Dalí now through September 4, 2017. Space is limited to 18 students. For more information or to apply, visit TheDali.org/fashion, or contact The Dalí’s School & Community Education Manager, Denisse De Leon, at 727.623.4754.
The Museum also announces The Dalí’s Fashion Design Challenge, an online contest for aspiring or established designers to create a new wearable art item inspired by Dali’s artwork. The online contest, complementary to the student design program but open to entrants nationwide, begins September 28, 2017. Finalists will be determined by online voting, with the grand prize winner announced on November 17. The Dalí’s Fashion Design Challenge top designer will win a trip for two to Saint Petersburg, FL, courtesy of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, to enjoy the unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí works at the stunning Dalí Museum, as well as to explore the culture-filled area of St. Petersburg, Florida. Photos of the winning design will also appear alongside those from the Fashion Design at The Dalí creations during the special exhibition (Dec 10, 2017-Jan 1, 2018 at The Dalí). For more information, please visit TheDali.org/challenge.
About The Dalí Museum
The Dalí Museum, located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to an unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí art, featuring more than 2,000 works comprising nearly 100 oil paintings; over 100 watercolors and drawings; and 1,300 prints, photographs, sculptures and objets d’art. The building is itself a work of art, featuring 1,062 triangular-shaped glass panels—the only structure of its kind in North America. Nicknamed The Enigma, it provides an unprecedented view of St. Petersburg’s picturesque waterfront. The Museum has attracted the world’s attention, and among the other distinguished awards it has received, it was listed by AOL Travel News as “one of the top buildings to see in your lifetime.” The Dalí Museum is located at One Dalí Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. For additional information contact 727.823.3767 or visit TheDali.org.
About the Dalí & Schiaparelli exhibition
October 18, 2017 – January 14, 2018
Delight in the daring and irreverent works of two celebrated artists – Salvador Dalí and Elsa Schiaparelli. The exhibit is presented in collaboration by The Dalí Museum and Schiaparelli Paris and will feature haute couture gowns and accessories, jewelry, paintings, drawings, objects and photos, as well as new designs by Bertrand Guyon for Maison Schiaparelli. This will be the first exhibition dedicated to the creative relationship and works of Schiaparelli and Dalí – friends and collaborators who set Paris and the world ablaze with their groundbreaking visions. Learn more about the exhibit on our website.
Media Contact:
Melissa Cederquist
MCederquist@paradiseadv.com
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