Monday, November 1, 2010

Designer Confidential: Not Just Beginner’s Luck


Designer Confidential highlights the work of SU's greatest fashion asset: its student designers.


With the skill and craftsmanship apparent in Junior fashion design major Ron Koraisaca’s creations, you would never guess that this is his first year in the program. “I originally started out as a policy studies major. I wanted to be a lawyer and help people, but I think designing is a different way to help people. I...[have to take] an extra year of coursework, but I love it, so I definitely think it’s worth it.”

Even though he is enrolled in 100 level courses, Koraisca is quickly distinguishing himself in the department, with clever designs like a modular 'K' bag that he's constructing for a project in his accessories class.


Soon, Koraisca will begin work on a top hat inspired by steampunk; a genre of sci-fi that imagines a faux-Victorian future where technology is still powered by steam.


Koraisca has also been busily sewing himself . “[I’m sewing] three [costumes for myself] this year: an angel, ...chef, and...doctor [costume]. My mom designs for Calvin Klein, [and] she gave me this fabric to use, so I’ve been using [them] for my costumes.”

Koraisaca cites the futuristic designs of Balenciaga as inspiration, as well as the modern minimalist aesthetic of Calvin Klein, which has played such a personal part in his life. He hopes to someday take over as head designer for a major label, like Balenciaga. “I find it interesting what Marc Jacobs does. Even though he’s designing for [Louis Vuitton] a very established label, he still makes it his own.” As far as short-term plans go, Koraisca hopes to land an internship working for another classic American design house, Michael Kors. “I actually met him, so when I go back to the city next summer I’m going to start wearing my designs constantly, in hopes that I’ll run into him again, and he’ll see my designs and like them.”


Dream Job: To become head designer at Balenciaga; imbuing the label with his clean aesthetic and love of woven textiles.

Why you should look out for him: Koraisca knows how to deliver edgy with a preppy Dalton-certified twist. His muse is an uptown girl with a downtown attitude. “She sneaks out of her house dressed up well, then when she gets downtown to have fun she ties her shirt and hikes up her skirt.”

Designer Confidential: His earliest fashion memories are of going to work with his mother: “I [would] play in her studio, and sit under her machine when she sewed. She used to get so mad at me when I['d] pull the thread out of the [industrial sergers]. I recently learned how to thread...them, so I understand why she got so annoyed because it’s... hard to do!”


-Julie Kosin

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