I will never truly be able to describe the IIDA Fashion Show. For those of you who are not in the design industry, this is one of the biggest events of the year, with over 1,500 attendees. Over twenty architecture and design firms from the Boston area team with a wide range of manufacturers, and for months, spend their work days designing buildings, and their free time on fashion.
When people think fashion, they may first think of fabric and textiles. But this is an industry about space and buildings, so we’ve pushed it further. One year you may pair with a floor tile manufacturer, or carpet, or furniture. You may pair with a contracting/building firm, or a lighting manufacturer. Each year designers push their sponsors materials to the limit, exploring products, inside and out.
This year, my firm, Sasaki Associates, paired with Treefrog Veneers, Chemetal laminates, Vantage Builders, and Kane Contract Group (who represent manufacturers such as Anzea Fabrics and Andreu World – a leading furniture company). The show’s broad theme of SENSEation allowed designers to get creative, pulling any meaning from the word as they saw fit.
Feature photo and photo above taken by Ryan Collier.
Sasaki’s (POW!)ER submission took inspiration from superheros, who are innately sensational beings, many of whom are (or cursed) with super senses. We drew reference from the armored shell of Iron Man, the textured body of The Thing, and the flowing cape of Batman, among others. The armor design was made strictly from metal laminate. Texture was completely constructed from wood veneer and fabric for the high waisted shorts. Finally, flow from a combination of fabric and woven wood veneer underneath. Hair and makeup were all completed by myself, and a coworker.
Photo taken by Ryan Collier.
Each year I’ve attended, I am completely blown away, and this year was no exception. I had so much fun with the design and construction of our texture design, and thought our designer models rocked the runway! Please find the link below to pictures of each firm’s “Red Carpet look”. Check back soon to find the link for pictures of the full fashion show, runway, backstage and all!
Mary Zambello is a interior architect and graphic designer working in Portland, ME. Inspired by a strong research-based, human-centered design program at Cornell University, she understands the importance of form, function, and the impact of the built environment. Living in the beautiful state of Maine, as well as growing up traveling to exciting places around the world, she’s continually invested in reducing environmental impact through innovative and sustainable design. Her multi-faceted background allows her to be a designer who can both create and disrupt paradigms, and become a tool for creative impact.
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One World, Two Feet 
Never been to a fashion show, but I think I would after reading this! Such creative people.
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