From a High School Class to Runway Fashion Shows Arizona Teen is a Finalist in The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition

SAN DIEGO – January 6, 2009  -- Laura Serna of Kingman, Arizona was recently was named the local first place winner at The Art Institute of California – San Diego in The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition’s in the Fashion Design Category

The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition was created to encourage and reward young fashion talent. 

The 18 year-old high school senior at Kingman High School earned a tuition scholarship in the amount of $3,000 to study Fashion Design at The Art Institute of California – San Diego

In addition to her tuition scholarship, Serna will progress to the National Passion for Fashion Competition where her entry will be judged against other local winners from throughout North America for the Competition’s grand prize, a full tuition scholarship to an Art Institutes school and a VIP trip to New York City to attend runway shows during Fashion Week and meet staff at Seventeen Magazine. The panel of judges for the National Passion for Fashion Competition include: Suede, contestant on Project Runway Season 5; Eva Snopek, fashion designer at Calvin Klein; Patty Hughes, of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week; Ashley Granata, Marketing Manager at Style.com; and Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist, The Art Institutes. 

Says Serna, “With a fashion degree, I hope to design clothing that accommodates all women’s and girls’ shapes and sizes. I believe in finding attractive clothes that fit, because they help boost self esteem.”

According to Sheena Gao, Academic Director of Fashion Programs of The Art Institute of California – San Diego, “Serna’s design won for its captivating 1940’s inspired retro design.

The theme of this year’s Fashion Design category is evening wear.  In the Fashion Design category, students were asked to create innovative and wearable designs for evening events.  In the Fashion Marketing, Merchandising and Retail Management category, competitors created concepts for fashion marketing, merchandising and retail management plans.

For more information on this year’s Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition, visit http://www.artinstitutes.edu/Competitions/PassionForFashion.aspx?prid=p4f_1207_004_pr

The Art Institute of California – San Diego is one of The Art Institutes (http://www.artinstitutes.edu/), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. 

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Contact:
PR & Communications Coordinator
Jody Auslund
858.598.1303
jauslund@aii.edu