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Ticket to fashion: Phoenix ASU FIDM students road-trip to LA


ASU FIDM students looking over downtown Los Angeles from the balcony of the ASU California Center Grand building.

ASU FIDM students look over downtown Los Angeles from the balcony of the ASU California Center Grand building. Photo by Derren Versoza

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February 14, 2024

This semester, 40 ASU FIDM students boarded a charter bus in Phoenix for a three-day, two-night fashion-centric trip to Los Angeles to experience ASU FIDM in LA.

The organizers hope that the inaugural trip will be the first of many, and that going forward, the PHX–LA trips will also include students from The Sidney Poitier New American Film School and from The Design School. (Like ASU FIDM, both the film school and The Design School also operate in LA.)

While there, the students took an in-depth tour of the ASU California Center Grand building. The tour included a demo of the Textile Testing Lab with Professor Deborah Young; a tour of the ASU FIDM Library and its unique resources by Jennifer Blue; and a showing of the ASU FIDM Museum Study Collection by curators Christina Johnson and Christina Frank.

ASU FIDM students getting hands-on with archival garments from the ASU FIDM Museum Study Collection.
ASU FIDM students get hands-on experience with archival garments from the ASU FIDM Museum Study Collection. Photo by Derren Versoza

That evening, approximately 80 ASU FIDM faculty, staff and students got together for a mixer complemented by a DJ set from Shaun Samson, who is a faculty member in ASU FIDM.

The next morning, ASU FIDM hosted costume designer B. Åkerlund, a frequent collaborator with Beyoncé, Madonna and Lady Gaga, for a guest lecture that approximately 75 students, faculty, staff and community members attended.

Fashion designer and activits B. Akerlund speaking with ASU FIDM students following her lecture at ASU CA Center Grand.
B. Akerlund, an esteemed fashion activist who has designed costumes for Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Madonna, speaks with ASU FIDM students following her lecture at ASU California Center Grand. Photo by Derren Versoza

In the afternoon, the ASU FIDM Phoenix students took tours of the premier showroom locations in the LA Fashion District, including the Cooper Design Space and The New Mart.

On the final day of the trip, the visiting students from Phoenix went fabric shopping in the Fashion District, led by ASU FIDM faculty chaperones who guided the students for their upcoming projects. 

ASU FIDM students shopping for fabric in the DTLA Fashion District.
ASU FIDM students shop for fabric in the downtown LA Fashion District. Photo by Derren Versoza

"I'm super appreciative of all the work put into this trip and how many people took the time to help us students,” ASU FIDM student Riley Kennedy said. “This trip was not only a great opportunity, but also so fun. It was such a cool learning experience and also allowed us to make connections within the LA fashion industry.

"I would never have been able to experience something like this if it weren't for ASU FIDM. I hope other students will also be given this opportunity in the future years to come."

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