SCAD has collaborated with Delta Flight Museum in a unique design challenge to create an original mural for the newly renovated Delta Flight Museum. The interactive design, by SCAD student Jennifer Wee (M.F.A. motion media), was inspired by Delta's chosen theme "Humanity Lifts Us." The mural was created as a SCADpro challenge, held over a three-week period, with more than 20 participating students representing top degree programs including painting, illustration, motion media, graphic design, interactive design, animation, and creative business leadership.
 
"We are thrilled Delta Flight Museum chose SCAD for this unique design challenge and visitors from around the world will now enjoy Jennifer's work at the museum," said Hannah Flowers, vice-president SCAD Atlanta.
 
The Delta Flight Museum, which reopens to the public on Monday, April 7, features the original 13 ft. high, 99 ft. long digital mural "Keep Climbing" to celebrate Delta's 100th anniversary. Wee's artwork, created with Adobe Illustrator, includes an interactive element where visitors can align the letter on their ticket with the mural to take a photo.
 
SCAD student and artist Jennifer Wee explains: "The mural combines Delta's history and future through modern, abstract design. The frames of the Delta letters represent Delta's 100-year-strong foundation. Within the letter frames are small figures — workers, families, and travelers from different cultures — symbolizing Delta's community. The large-scale design allows viewing from multiple distances. I wanted to make sure that viewers enjoy this mural both from afar and up close. Delta's warm care, the spirit of continuing to pursue high ideals, and the people who make it all possible became my overall inspiration."
 
Wee is a motion media and graphic designer whose unique cultural background bridges East and West. Born in Rochester, New York and raised in South Korea, she brings a global perspective to her creative work. Her work has been recognized and showcased in exhibitions including the prestigious DESIGN KOREA 2022. Wee aims to create designs that captivate audiences, drawing them into an experience that transcends the traditional boundaries of visual art.
 
SCADpro is the university's collaborative innovation studio that generates business solutions for the world's most influential brands. SCADpro, recognized as the preeminent university partner among design agencies worldwide, invites clients to engage in every step of the creative process and to work directly with student designers, professors, and alumni focused on desired outcomes.
 
Since 1995, the Delta Flight Museum has welcomed visitors from around the world to explore aviation history, celebrate the story and people of Delta, and discover the future of flight. The world-class museum features engaging exhibits and interactive programming for aviation enthusiasts of all ages. Standing in the heart of Delta's Atlanta headquarters, the 68,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art attraction makes a perfect outing for family, friends, school groups and more. Visit deltamuseum.org.

See more of the work of motion media designer Jennifer Wee.

"Over the last 12 months, SCAD Bees have achieved what students elsewhere could only dream of: designing and building not one but two electric vehicles — the Aether, a convertible sports car, and the Tyr, an off-roader overland SUV," announced President Paula Wallace, during a momentous unveiling this week.

Students within SCAD's award-winning industrial design program have created these fully functioning electric vehicle concept cars. Each car puts the guest in the driver's seat of their own experience, with functional designs for cruising down coastal highways and navigating challenging off-road terrain—meant to engage and encourage the next generation of driving public.

The project's focus was on curating an experience for Gen Z, a demographic that views driving differently than previous generations. Initial research found 75% of Gen Z do not look forward to getting their driver's license. SCAD students set out to change this perception.

"These new electric vehicle concepts answer an essential question for the automotive industry as more and more young people are choosing not to drive at all, using rideshare and public transportation instead, and SCAD's Aether and Tyr reverse that shift in spectacular ways — because we do our research!" President Wallace remarked. "Our two SCAD EVs present the future of driving for all drivers, with commercial appeal. And they're gorgeous!"

"SCAD's industrial design program creates hands-on learning experiences that no other university does, and the building of these electric vehicles is a prime example," said professor of industrial design Rafael Corazza Ronchetti. "This is an incredible opportunity for our students to enhance their career readiness by designing and building a fully functional car."

The project emphasized pooling innovative student talent from across the university's top-ranked degree programs, including interior design, fibers, motion media design, graphic design, user experience (UX) design, and interactive design and game development. The various builds and elements of each vehicle reflect the disciplines involved, as well as the creative ingenuity of the SCAD students who brought these vehicles from concept to completion.

The Aether electric vehicle, developed in Savannah, proposes a new design language that appeals to the Gen Z demographic while paying homage to influential cars of the past, including the Ferrari 312 F1 and the Porsche 917. The vehicle's racing aesthetic includes an open top and an AI companion that curates music based on driving style. Aether was entirely printed with innovative 3D technology that incorporates acrylic gel photocured with UV lights. This technology was a key element to the success of developing the car in record time.

Wheel genius: Tyr, ready to roll.

Tyr, the electric vehicle created in Atlanta, evokes the narratives and causes crucial to Gen Z. Environmentally-minded students created a car centered on sustainability and used intentional colors, designs, and relevant features to empower the driver's personal journey. In a recent SCADask survey of Gen Z respondents,  fuel efficiency, environmental impact, and technology features were all listed as top transportation priorities.

"We built the Tyr electric vehicle to have a platform that will grow with the user, one that goes from the street to an off-road terrain environment," SCAD Atlanta associate chair of design Owen Foster said. "By prioritizing autonomy, ecological responsibility, and cutting- edge technology, the Tyr becomes an extension of the driver's home, offering safety, reliability, and an unparalleled driving experience with sustainable interiors, a large acrylic screen, adjustable seating, and small truck bed."

Throughout the development process, students worked alongside faculty and industry mentors to learn specialized skills that were essential to building successful and fully functioning electric vehicles. The emphasis SCAD places on application over theory is unlike any other industrial design program. "SCAD students engaged pros in the automotive industry, as well as others in fashion, luxury marketing, and ‘fringe tech' such as controlling a car with eye tracking and hand gestures," President Wallace observed. "We transform SCAD students into pros by compelling them to create real products for real clients and within the constraints of real time, modeling professional practice."

Electric youth: the powered-up Aether. 

Visit scad.edu/evcars.

SCAD is thrilled to present the exhibition Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter at the SCAD Museum of Art. Curated by SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes in close collaboration with Isabel's husband, noted fashion illustrator and artist Ruben Toledo, A Love Letter is the first posthumous exhibition of the designer's work to be presented in the United States.

The immortal Isabel Toledo, photographed by Randall Bachner.

"One word evokes the legacy of Isabel Toledo: unforgettable," said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "This beloved designer eschewed celebrity, though all the world could not look away. She and her creative partner and husband, Ruben, embraced joy at every turn and generously donated their time — and endless bolts of fabric — to SCAD students over the years. SCAD proudly invites students and guests to experience Isabel's inestimable genius and joie de vivre at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah. XOXO, Isabel!"

Presented in SCAD MOA's André Leon Talley Gallery, A Love Letter honors the legacy and resonance of Isabel's ingenious artistry. The exhibition highlights the Cuban American designer's expertise in techniques, textiles, construction, and color and celebrates her enduring status as a legendary figure in fashion. Revered among her peers as a "designer's designer," Isabel was focused on craft and guided by emotions, with a unique process that translated into exquisite creations, masterfully executed with precision. A Love Letter presents nearly 40 signature Isabel Toledo garments — including never-before-seen looks from the Toledo archives — with complementing illustrations by Ruben. The exhibition also features the SCAD-produced film Echoes and Vibrations, which documents their eternal love story.

Inside the gallery, a Love Letter inspires. 

"I am excited to see the ongoing creative dialogue between Isabel's work and the next generation of designers and artists with this beautiful exhibition at the SCAD Museum of Art," said Ruben Toledo. "It is my honor to share never-before-seen Isabel Toledo designs unearthed by SCAD FASH creative director Rafael Gomes from our extensive archives, and it is my hope to see her work spark new ideas in the open minds and able hands of SCAD students. Both Isabel and I believed that art and design are living languages that grow when shared. A new visual vocabulary is born by deeply exploring art and design, which SCAD MOA does so brilliantly and thoroughly."
 
Born in Cuba in 1960, Isabel emigrated to New York as a young girl with her family. She met Ruben Toledo in high school, originating a lifelong partnership in which they served as each other's muse, collaborator, and confidant. Inherently curious and creative, Isabel began making clothes for herself as a teenager, soon appearing on international "Best Dressed" lists. She honed her approach during her time working under legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, where she had intimate access to garments by iconic couturiers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, and Christian Dior. After presenting her first namesake collection in 1985 to critical acclaim, Isabel maintained a fully independent label dedicated to her craft while deflecting the limelight. This pure devotion to her work and honest artistic mindset led her to become one of the most respected fashion designers in the industry.
 
"Isabel Toledo's timeless creations are remarkable in their impeccable technique," said Rafael Gomes, SCAD FASH creative director. "She was one of the most beloved and iconic figures in American fashion. SCAD is honored to celebrate her incredible body of work and to intimately collaborate with Ruben to pay homage to her enduring legacy and to Isabel and Ruben's eternal love story."

Ruben Toldeo (left) with SCAD FASH Creative Director Rafael Gomes.

Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter is on view Aug. 14–Dec. 26, 2024. For more information, visit scadmoa.org.

SCAD is proud to announce the appointment of Andreia Wardlaw as director of the Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies at the SCAD Museum of Art. Wardlaw is an experienced leader and community builder who is passionate about education and the arts.
 
"The varied traditions in African American art have long served as a way to illuminate the voices of the community and celebrate Black culture," says Wardlaw. "I am honored to have the opportunity to elevate the esteemed presence of SCAD MOA’s Evans Center in hopes of building on its legacy of being a preeminent space for engagement with Black art."
 
As director of the Evans Center, Wardlaw will work closely with renowned artists, designers, scholars, and the SCAD community to develop programming that enhances public knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of Black art, culture, and literature. Prior to joining SCAD, she worked at the Center for Women’s History at the New York Historical Society and taught in higher education. Wardlaw received her M.A. in African American studies from Columbia University.
 
"We are thrilled to have Andreia Wardlaw as the new director of the SCAD Museum of Art’s Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies," says SCAD MOA chief curator Daniel S. Palmer. "The depth of her experience working in various aspects of African American studies and culture will be a tremendous resource to SCAD students and the many visitors who come to see the remarkable exhibitions on view at the museum. Since its founding, the Evans Center has been a beacon that highlights transformative stories of contemporary Black culture, and we look forward to this continuing under Wardlaw’s directorship."
 
SCAD established the Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies within the prestigious SCAD Museum of Art in 2011. The Evans gifted the museum more than 60 important works by renowned artists including Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert S. Duncanson, Richard Hunt, and Jacob Lawrence. The collection forms the foundation of a multidisciplinary center for the study, understanding, and appreciation of African American art and culture. A permanent gallery space in the museum is also dedicated to exhibiting the work of contemporary African American artists.
 
SCAD MOA’s Evans Center has continually exhibited and celebrated Black artists, including internationally heralded exhibitions focused on the legacies of Jacob Lawrence and Frederick Douglass, as well as contemporary exhibitions by Hank Willis Thomas, Carrie Mae Weems, Fred Wilson, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Kenturah Davis, Chase Hall, Nina Chanel Abney, Awol Erizku, and others.
 
Under Wardlaw’s direction, the Evans Center is presenting a summer film series titled Black Culture Rewind. The series continues Friday, July 19, at 6 p.m. with a screening of Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust, a 2004 selection for the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. Dash’s seminal film shines a cinematic light on the rich Gullah Geechee history of St. Helena Island, S.C. Prior to the screening, a conversation with Gullah Geechee Sweetgrass Basket expert Amadu Massally will explore the diasporic connections between the Savannah Sea Islands and West Africa. See the event listing here.

Welcome to SCAD, Andreia Wardlaw!

SCAD is proud to share that Yi Tung "Antonio" Chen (B.F.A. graphic design), member of the SCAD Atlanta fencing team, has secured a place in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where he will represent Taiwan. With a win at the Asian Zonal Qualifier, Chen is the first male fencer from Taiwan to qualify in the foil category for fencing in the Olympics in 36 years and only the sixth ever to do so. Chen has had great success during his time at SCAD, securing a bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championships.

"I'm so grateful for my SCAD teammates who have kept me sharp and on my toes throughout training," said Chen. "Qualifying for the 2024 Olympics is truly a dream come true, but the job is not done yet. I'm going to continue my training throughout the summer and give it my all in Paris!" 

Chen's qualification for the summer competition represents a storied moment for SCAD athletics. He is the first SCAD student-athlete scheduled to compete at the Olympic games while participating in that same sport at the university.  

"When we first started the fencing program at SCAD, we did so with the vision of having SCAD athletes competing at the highest level of their sport," said SCAD Atlanta Director of Athletics Glen Hill. "There is no bigger world stage than the Olympics, and to have Antonio Chen competing there in 2024 is incredibly exciting. It speaks volumes about the hard work and dedication of our athletes and programs here at SCAD." 

SCAD has a thrilling history with the Olympics. Weightlifter Cheryl Haworth (B.F.A. historic preservation, 2006) represented Team USA at the 2004 Olympics while attending SCAD, and in 2000 (when she won the bronze medal) and 2008 after her time as a Bee. Olympian Avard Moncur, who medaled in 2000 and 2008, also served as SCAD Atlanta's Head Cross Country Coach for several years.
 
The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will begin July 26 and run through August 11, with the fencing competition kicking off on July 27. Be sure to tune in to see SCAD athlete Antonio Chen in action!
 

For more information on SCAD fencing, visit atlanta.scadathletics.com.  

The SCAD women's lacrosse team won the 2024 Sun Conference Championship on Saturday, April 20, scoring the last two goals of the game to defeat archrivals Keiser University 13-12 in a match to be remembered. It is the team's second consecutive Sun Conference championship. SCAD is the only women's team to take home this title since lacrosse became a Sun Conference sport two years ago.

"This was an unforgettable win for our SCAD women's lacrosse team, and they played with so much heart to bring this championship home," said head coach Melody Shotwell, NAIA 2023 Coach of the Year. "Now we are looking forward to what's ahead, which is the 2024 NAIA National Championship being played right here in Savannah beginning May 1."

Update: In their first game of the NAIA Championship, SCAD vanquished Indiana Tech 15-4, behind a stunning seven-goal performance by Clarke Haas.

At the conclusion of the Sun Conference tournament, Clarke Haas (B.F.A. business of beauty and fragrance), Lorna Fowles (B.F.A., animation), Grace Gibson (B.F.A., business of beauty and fragrance), Annise Berkeley (B.F.A., advertising and branding), and Keagan Plume (B.F.A., architecture) were all named to the 2024 All-Tournament Team. Haas also received the notable Tournament MVP honor.

The season has seen a remarkable turnaround for the team. After losing five of their first eight matches this season, SCAD has since gone undefeated, and is currently on an 11-game winning streak.

SCAD will compete at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Women's Lacrosse National Championship, May 1-4 in Savannah, Georgia at historic Memorial Stadium.

This year's NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship will include teams from Missouri Baptist University, Reinhardt University, Indiana Tech, Benedictine College, Lawrence Technological University, Keiser University, and University of the Cumberlands.

Tickets to the games are available for purchase through the SCAD Box Office. All the action will be broadcast live on Hudl TV, the official streaming home of the NAIA Women's Lacrosse National Championship.

For more information on SCAD athletics, visit savannah.scadathletics.com. 

When Naomi Brown (B.F.A. sequential art) tackled the assignment to create an animatic during Drawing for Storyboarding (DRAW 206) last year, they chose to interpret the 1981 song "Don't Eat Stuff Off the Sidewalk" by rockabilly band The Cramps. It was, to be sure, an inspired choice.
 
"After I drew the intro, I went more stream of consciousness, like a music video," Brown says. "I wanted to push myself to be more surreal and even psychedelic — a little out there and off the wall."
 
How "out there"?
 
Naomi laughs. "I had the idea of [the main character] picking himself up off the sidewalk and dropping himself into his mouth." 

A sophomore from Bridgeport, West Virginia, Brown grew up home-schooled, the eldest child in a large family, intent on becoming an artist: "SCAD was the first art college I heard of, and I came to SCAD knowing I wanted to study sequential art." While creating the "Sidewalk" animatic, their "off the wall" notions were encouraged by foundation studies professor Fatemeh Hosseini.
 
"Naomi not only demonstrated the techniques and practices discussed in class in a professional manner, they captured a unique mood and feeling with their ingenious imagination," says Hosseini. "Naomi's great leaps in storyboarding combined rock and roll energy with narrative integrity. I admire their eagerness for aesthetic expression and look forward to what Naomi will accomplish as an artist in the years to come."

Illustration: Naomi Brown.

 
As Hosseini indicates, it's refreshing to encounter a dedicated student at a pivotal stage of development. The fact that on this day Naomi is wearing a Black Sabbath t-shirt paired with a stylish silk cravat might also be a sign of what they are exploring in their work: deep pockets of musical mythos, recombined in interesting ways.
 
"My first quarter at SCAD, I got obsessed with putting representations of music or references to music in my work," Brown says. They started listening to albums including Buffalo's Volcanic Rock (1973), Siouxsie and the Banshees' Hyaena (1984), and Morphine's Cure for Pain (1993). They created their own band The Other Ones — not a quote-unquote real band, but not wholly imaginary either, if one embraces the tradition of The Beets, Love Händel, and comic books like Love and Rockets.

Illustration: Naomi Brown.

 
"I'm really interested in how music evolved from the Sixties to the Nineties, from R&B all the way to grunge," Brown says. "I created my own band and curated their aesthetic and sound and style to what I really enjoy. I think at their inception The Other Ones were an early Sixties beat group, and now they're more heavy psych and hard rock. It's like, proto metal."
 
One need not be a Rolling Stone subscriber to appreciate Naomi's intentions. Their naturally dynamic, slightly cartoony characters have soul.

Liberal arts professor Colin Beineke has taught Brown in courses including Arts in Adaptation: Cross-media Storytelling (ENGL 221). "Naomi's intellect, enthusiasm, and creativity are immediately apparent to anyone who spends even the shortest time in their presence," Beineke says. "Naomi's voice is as sharply idiosyncratic as it is instantaneously relatable. Their keenness to observe and absorb is a rare commodity, and is not only admirable but a model to us all." 

Looking ahead, Brown sees appealing courses on the horizon: Digital Coloring and Lettering Applications ("I like lettering and want to get really good at it") and Constructive Anatomy and Figure Drawing for the Narrative ("I'm good at anatomy, I just need that extra push").
 
Then there's Introduction to Printmaking, and Advanced Writing for Comics. Nearing the mid-point of their time as a SCAD undergrad, Brown's art continues to amp up.
 
"My number one goal is to one day work in the industry as a comics artist," Naomi says, mentioning Beineke's Survey of Sequential Art (SEQA 205) as igniting a deep love of comics. "I now frequent the Jen Library, checking out stacks of books every week, reading a ton. I study creators and forms and try to absorb as much as I can, and I draw every day."
 
Rock on, Naomi Brown!

The Doors bio-comic by Naomi Brown, created for Introduction to Sequential Art (SEQA 100) taught by Brian Ralph.

Banner image self-portrait by Naomi Brown.

To see more of Naomi's work, visit their Instagram.

Just Jacob is being seen.
 
On April 13, producer Abigail Dickinson (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) and writer/director Halle Losordo (B.F.A., film and television, 2023) won the Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Scholarship Award at the Television Academy Foundation 43rd College Television Awards for their documentary short film Just Jacob.
 
Just Jacob follows Dickinson and Losordo's friend and fellow SCAD alumnus Jacob Thiele (B.F.A., interior design, 2023) who has a genetic disorder called Treacher-Collins Syndrome which affects the development of facial bones and tissues. The film shows Thiele's normal everyday life with his friends and family, along with his daily challenges. As recipient of the Loreen Arbus Award, the filmmakers have been honored for the student-produced project that best portrays disability issues and helps an emerging artist with a disability gain recognition.
 
The award ceremony, celebrating the best in student-produced television programs from colleges and universities nationwide, was held on Saturday, April 13, at the Television Academy's Saban Media Center in North Hollywood, California. Dickinson, Lorsordo, and Thiele attended the ceremony along with their professor Sedika Mojadidi, chair of film and television D.W. Moffett, and chair of acting Mark Tymchyshyn. The film's editor Dahae Lee (B.F.A., film and television, 2023), director of photography Yuuki Shimizu (B.F.A., film and television, 2023), and sound designer Mark Otim (B.F.A., sound design, 2023) also attended.

Team Just Jacob (l-r): Mark Otim, Dahae Lee, Jacob Thiele, Abigail Dickinson, Halle Losordo, Yuuki Shimizu.

"To come to Los Angeles as a filmmaker, not just as a visitor, is surreal, exciting, and gratifying," said Dickinson. "This award reflects our many months and endless hours of hard work and shows that our film is doing what we hoped — Jacob's story is reaching people."
 
"Since I met Jacob in 2019, I have been inspired by his outlook on life and his determination to not let anything get in the way of his pursuits," Losordo said. "Our film is a reminder that life is more complex and more beautiful than outward appearances. I want to thank SCAD president and founder Paula Walllace and all my incredible professors for helping me make my dreams come true. They are always encouraging us to collaborate with students in other majors and tell important stories."
 
Just Jacob debuted at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival in October 2023 and won the Best Student Documentary Short category. Since graduating in May 2023, Dickinson and Lorsordo have been employed at Jupiter Entertainment. Dickinson is an associated producer for the television production company and Losordo is a production coordinator and social media manager. Thiele is an Event Design Manager at Interluxe Group in Bluffton, SC.
 
"This experience has been truly amazing, being able to share my story and raise awareness for people with disabilities and work towards breaking this glass ceiling around us," said Thiele. "I hope this film shows that people in similar situations can accomplish anything they put their minds to. Having this amazing team tell my story truly means a lot and I could not think of anybody better to do so."
 
Just Jacob is being entered into film festivals across the U.S. Follow the journey on Instagram.

SCAD excellence (l-r): Mojadidi, Moffett, Losordo, Thiele, Dickinson, Tymchyshyn.

(Photos: Danny Moloshok/Invision for The Television Academy/AP Images)

"We disagree on a lot of things, and I think that's good," said Danial Aitouganov, nodding towards his zomer co-founder Imruh Asha, seated beside him on the stage of the SCAD MOA theater. "We make a point to always speak to each other with respect," Asha added, grinning. "That's because you know I'm sensitive," Aitouganov replied.
 
Funny, friendly, focused, and foregrounding their inextricable personal and professional connection, the conversation between Aitouganov (gold tooth, green slippers) and Asha (red vest, smoky glasses) at SCADstyle 2024 drew a full house of students from degree programs including fashion, fibers, and luxury and brand management.
 
Hosted by Family Style founder and Editor-in-Chief Joshua Glass, the talk—titled "Party People: Feeding the Fantasy"—covered topics ranging from deadstock fabric to TikTok trends and the value of going to museums with friends. Glass began by drawing out details from the friendship between Aitouganov and Asha, which began in Amsterdam, where Danial attended art school and Imruh worked as a stylist, before they relocated to Paris and founded their brand.
 

Zomer wowed with at Paris Fashion Week in September 2023, when Aitouganov and Asha sent their mini-me doppelgangers cavorting down the runway in their debut collection. (Doubling down, they also dressed childhood lookalikes of Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington as part of an entire campaign.) Glass expressed admiration that explosive interest has fortified the founders' principles.

"We are always looking for a balance between conceptual and commercial," Aitouganov said. "When we think of our customer we wonder, what would she wear? You need to say something with your clothes." Added Asha: "It's an ongoing conversation."
 
As an experiential lifestyle brand, zomer (Dutch for "summer") delivers garments that radiate positivity, humor and joy. Detachable flaps feature. They are not afraid of polka dots.
 
"When you put out your great first collection, then everyone's like, What's next?" Glass said, while pointing out that zomer is already designing for Spring/Summer 2025.
 
Aitouganov and Asha mentioned a potential future foray into menswear, and the importance of celebrating success amidst the rush, noting two early high water marks: having zomer carried at Bergdorf Goodman, and Bjork wearing their one-off wood sculpture dress onstage.
 
Glass nudged them to offer tips to SCAD students preparing senior thesis collections.

Stylish SCADstyle souls (l-r): Glass, Aitouganov and Asha. 

"This is the time for you to dive into your own desires and really have fun with it," said Aitouganov. "Your graduation year is like the last year when you can really be yourself, because once you go into the industry, you will work for a creative director and you will work with someone else's vision. It's always super important to have a personal subject. You need to be happy with your collection."
 
"Having peers around you that you can talk about what matters to you is really important," Asha said. "Meeting people with the same values is important, and art school makes it easier to create that network."
 
"We took the SCAD tour yesterday and I wish I was here, guys, this school is amazing," Aitouganov said. "We were talking in the green room that maybe we should take a course here at SCAD," added Asha with an awed nod.
 
The students cheered this suggestion wildly, the theater as vibrant as a zomer collection.

They say SCAD signature events never go out of style — and none stays hip like SCADstyle. Now in its 18th year, the dynamic four-day event in Savannah (April 8-10) and Atlanta (April 10-11) unites design and lifestyle leaders for insightful conversations exclusive to SCAD. An inquiry into fashion, interior design, graphic design, illustration, beauty, advertising, and more, SCADstyle promises career-making networking opportunities with iconoclasts shaping the future of design.

"I created SCADstyle to take our students BTS with today's foremost artrepreneurs and designers," says President Paula Wallace. "A beautiful bill of rockstars headline this year's festival for four days of master classes and convos—including the one and only Wes Gordon, receiving the coveted SCAD Étoile Award. Bees studying fashion, beauty, architecture, interiors, and beyond swarm SCADstyle for inspo on charting a career in design, harnessing social media, leapfrogging and leveraging AI, and more. I invite every Bee and friend of SCAD to seize every synergistic second of SCADstyle 2024!"

SCADstyle 2024 celebrates the culture, innovation, and global voices transforming all facets of design. Featured SCADstyle guests include Francesco Risso, creative director of Marni; Hillary Taymour, founder and creative director at Collina Strada; Craig Robins, co-founder of Design Miami/; Waterworks co-founder and SVP Barbara Sallick; architect, interior designer, and founder of Jayne Design Studio Thomas Jayne; fashion designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin; photographer Michael Bailey-Gates; editor, curator, and art consultant Stefano Tonchi; co-founder and partner of Yabu Pushelberg George Yabu; chief creative officer of Glossier Marie Suter; creative director of amika Matthew Stetson; Washington Post fashion journalist Rachel Tashjian; and fashion writer Charlie Porter.

Event highlights include a conversation between Whitewall editor-in-chief Katy Donoghue and Craig Redman, artist and illustrator of design duo Craig & Karl, and a discussion with zomer founders and designers Danial Aitouganov and Imruh Asha hosted by Family Style editor-in-chief Joshua Glass. 

SCADstyle 2024 also showcases the stellar achievements of the university's impressive alumni during the Alumni Voices panel featuring Emily Smith (B.F.A., fashion, 2001), creative director of Lafayette 148 New York; furniture and lighting designer Lulu LaFortune (B.F.A., furniture design, 2018); and Kan Ando (B.F.A, fashion, 2010), senior designer at Nike.

In honor of the university's milestone 45th anniversary, the trio will be presented with the prestigious SCAD45 Alumni Award for their exemplary contributions to their professions and for demonstrating the prominence and purpose of a SCAD education. More than 18 of the university's top-ranked degree programs are represented in SCADstyle 2024 programming, including fashion, accessory design, interior design, graphic design, industrial design, advertising and branding, illustration, furniture design, architecture, and photography. 

SCADstyle 2024 events are free and open to the public.
For a full list of events and more information, visit scad.edu/scadstyle.