SCAD’s Paula Wallace talks about fashion education

Historical vision is typically 20/20, but predicting and proactively shaping the future is hard work. 1978, Superman Along with Christopher Reeves, he unleashed the superhero genre into American cinema. Gianni Versace presented his first collection in Milan, ushering in the supermodel era. While supergroups dominated the charts, Funkadelic, Bee Gees and Queen released some of their most iconic songs. In synergy, the Savannah College of Art and Design was established with an eye to the future. super school For creative industries. With 40 programs across his 11 schools across two campuses (and four educational museums), SCAD defies expectations at every juncture in history and continues to demonstrate what creative professional education looks like and what it can be. We have redefined what it means to be something. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Paula Wallace, co-founder of his SCAD and one of the longest-serving presidents in the history of North American higher education. I wonder what principles have changed through tectonic shifts such as the digitalization of tools, the virtualization of classrooms, the continued diversification of perspectives, and the pandemic (which is partly responsible for the closure of about 100 schools). I wanted to know how she guided and sustained her leadership. Universities across the United States! Amid social and cultural transformation, SCAD has maintained steady growth both in terms of national enrollment, international prestige, and industry impact. To quote the title of fashion-forward Sarah Jessica Parker’s classic comedy… I don’t know how she does it. It’s time to find out.

First of all, what kind of student were you? How did you learn to learn?

Paula Wallace: My parents taught me that with love, you can achieve anything. I could have announced a plan to sail a schooner to the moon and my father could have helped build it. Having parents and educators believe in you like this is incredibly empowering. We also had some amazingly talented teachers who showed transformative joy in their work. My high school Latin teacher, Tilly Beard, made us wear togas and sing popular songs in Latin to celebrate March Day. She understood that it was her job to motivate us to learn. I have found that no matter the subject, if it is energized with joy and purpose, it will lead to success.

How did Latin, Joy, and Purpose lead to the creation of SCAD?

Trusting others can be dangerous! They will gain the courage to try things that may seem impossible to others. I first had this wild idea to start a college dedicated to creative professions when I was teaching elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools in my early 20s. At the time, it seemed strange to many. What about a career in the arts? Really? I truly believed that building SCAD (which would prove to be even more difficult than sailing into the Sea of ​​Tranquility) was reasonable and worth doing. I imprinted care and consideration into the very architecture of his SCAD. No wonder our graduates change the world.They are believe they can.

Well, have you always had a passion for fashion design?

An aspiring fashionista, I eagerly took the bus to Peachtree Street in Atlanta, where I took a class at Singer Sewing Center. One of her challenges was to make a woolen pencil blouse made of patterned silk, her skirt and jacket lined with the same silk. I learned to make clothes that I want to wear. For completing each series of workshops, a brass pin was awarded. I still have that pin… I was always the perfect candidate to study fashion, but elite design schools did not exist in the American South. You see, I had to make it. [Laughs]

Wait, isn’t Peachtree Street the location of the SCAD Atlanta campus?

that’s right. Earlier this year, we held a grand show there for our annual student show, SCAD FASHION. Let me tell you, the look of 173, the best work with spirit and sophistication, the entourage of brilliant international young creators…I felt an immense sense of gratitude. Oh, if that young Paula had been at her Singer sewing machine, she might have known everything that was about to happen! I think things have finally come full circle.

Read SCAD’s mission statement. “SCAD prepares talented students for creative careers through engaged teaching and learning in a positive university environment.” What does that idea mean to you personally?

Manners are important! At its core, SCAD’s mission exemplifies one important quality above all else. Care. We care about what bees want and need. To be loved, to be engaged in active learning, to be encouraged, and to prepare for a rewarding career in which we can use the great talents of bees to change the world, make it better and more beautiful. is. More fair. Gen Z wants to make things with their creative gifts the whole world Good for all.

Creative knowledge transfer has a history of being created with questionable practices. Some believe that before we can develop liberal arts students, we should “destroy” them…

Oh, I’ve heard some humiliating stories. This approach is frankly sadistic. I believe that students do not have to fail many times before experiencing success. That’s why SCAD’s mission mandates a humane learning environment. Although SCAD is academically very demanding, we believe in positive reinforcement. Students develop a strong work ethic and learn to express their opinions. There are no “cookie-cutter” departments here. The effectiveness of our practices is evidenced by our 99% employment rate for SCAD graduates for the past six years in a row. The way to achieve it is very direct. We research market needs and opportunities and design intentional curricula for these careers. And we host the best professionals, including top talent from Disney, Nike, Chanel, Hermès, EA, Nintendo, GQ, and more.

Young people can learn about fashion on YouTube, Skillshare, and other DIY platforms. What makes an actual degree attractive or relevant in this day and age?

You can DIY all day long, but that’s not how creative industries work. You need to experience deep and true collaboration with other creative minds, hearts, and hands. That’s how you get hired and succeed. The SCAD School of Fashion’s superpower is that it thrives alongside many other disciplines essential to the fashion industry, from photography and filmmaking to advertising and marketing. Additionally, a SCAD degree is a passport to a world with very high barriers to entry. This puts you in touch with our global network of 60,000 alumni working in key industry players around the world. This tells employers and investors that this is someone who is ready to: work First day.

Can you talk about the importance of mentorship in the fashion industry?

A perfect example of the importance of mentorship is talented SCAD alumnus Maliki Gilbert, BFA Fashion Class of 2023. BFA Fashion, Class of 2023. We have a professional communication coaching studio, SCADamp, which I created to help students and alumni perfect their pitches and presentations. Above all, new talent must be able to: connect It has a convincing charm and reason. Tell the story! Let’s move your heart! So, SCADamp’s coaches recently coached Maliki to clarify her vision for the brand for her senior collection…Currently, Maliki’s Gilbert is her CFDA Design Scholar and Virgil’s Abloh’s He is also a “Postmodern” scholar.These are her two start of career award. That’s the SCAD difference.

I think this success story also speaks to SCAD’s idea of ​​mentorship…

yes. Participate in an internship. While they remain a necessary part of career development, their value is very limited and can become commonplace. You bring coffee. You run an errand.you Observe. While these experiences have their merits, I knew there had to be a better way. Here at SCAD, we’ve created something special that allows students to work on real solutions for real clients. SCADpro has changed the game for fashion internships. No other program can match it. Again, just one simple example. When Sam Edelman collaborated with students to design a capsule sneaker collection for Nordstrom, the result was such a success that the brand hired three SCAD Bees to stay in business.

I named it appropriately! I love fun facts like that. Let’s change our minds and return to Atlanta.I want to know more about scud flash Atlanta Fashion + Film Museum. How did that initiative come about?

SCAD FASH celebrates the interplay of memory and identity through fashion and film. Think of all the memorable lines and soundtracks while your clothes literally define you. I created this because a world-class city needs a world-class museum. Atlanta is the most visited travel hub on the planet and a true fashion capital in the heart of a rapidly growing region of film and television production. Movies feed fashion, and fashion feeds movies. For example, Ruth E. Carter’s Oscar-winning design black leopard The franchise had its first museum exhibit at SCAD FASH. Show students how research, fantasy, and wearability work together to create truly amazing work.

There was a “rapid succession” of questions about the future of the industry. There are no wrong answers! Gospel of destruction or preservation of creative heritage?

words innovationIt has Latin roots (thank you, Dr. Tilly Beard!). new ideas. How can you develop new ideas without knowing what came before? SCAD grounds students in the history of art, architecture, culture and fashion…but we don’t stay in the past. We champion new ideas expressed in new technologies, new processes and new materials, and teach creative traditions to build a creative tomorrow. Because the future is where our bees will thrive.

Metaverse and digital fashion: hype or must-have?

Must have!Too many higher educators worship the god of tradition without understanding it. tomorrow It’s where students want to be. We are already integrating AI into our curriculum and preparing our students to leapfrog careers that new technology will make redundant. Additionally, SCAD Fashion students and alumni are already designing clothing for gaming, a $250 billion industry.Metaverse Avatar is worth a look meta sharp.

Join a traditional brand or start your own brand “straight out of college”.

More Gen Z students want to lead their own startups than any other generation in U.S. history and They also want a stable and rewarding career. In short, they want to become entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. Her SCAD alumni like Emily Smith and Christopher John Rogers exemplify a variety of career paths. After Emily graduated, she joined Lafayette 148, where she rose through the ranks to become the brand’s top creative director. CJR, of course, has dressed everyone from Zendaya to Lil Nas X to Michelle Obama. We prepare bees to develop their own flight plans and soar beyond their professional dreams.