News and Media

Published: Sep 1, 2009

ATLANTA - Last night, the Savannah College of Art and Design again partnered with renowned retailer Jeffrey Kalinsky for Fashion Cares 2009. Designs from 10 SCAD alumni nominated for the Jeffrey New Talent Award kicked off the fashion show with a burst of energy and creativity that has become a hallmark of Atlanta's premier fashion event. With featured designer and honored guest Jason Wu looking on, Kalinsky presented the award to Caroline Mae Heidenreich, a recent graduate.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Heidenreich's collection combines socio-political commentary with strong couture silhouettes. "I wanted to create beauty out of something initially designed to serve in destruction," said Heidenreich, who deconstructed aged military uniforms and draped mosquito netting, parachutes and military-issued tents on the human form. The collection was also inspired by the designer's drive to promote sustainability, reusing these mass-produced materials to create something that serves a more gentle function.

Heidenreich's fellow nominees included Payton Berry, Christina Lynn Coniglio, Ellen Creasy, Kate Hundley, Aileen Lowe, Bronwyn Meehan, Melody K. Oesterle, Alicia Staples and Melissa Van Duzer, all of whom graduated with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in fashion in 2009.

All of this year's nominees participated in the SCAD Style Lab, a mentorship program to which students are elected that provides them with unparalleled access to the fashion world. Renowned international designers Yigal Azrouël and Lars Nilsson led the 2008-09 program, which included one-on-one critiques, guidance on everything from design concept to fabric selection and finishing, and studio visits to the designers' workspaces in an off-campus trip.

This is the fourth year Kalinsky, a longtime friend of the university and recipient of a premier Étoile Award at the inaugural SCAD Style Étoile Gala in Atlanta in 2006, bestowed the award on a SCAD graduate.