On Sunday May 1st The Maryland Academy of Couture Arts in partnership with Baltimore Fashion Alliance will host “Through the Looking Glass” a look at couture fashion design from a whimsical perspective. The fashion show will include local Baltimore “celebrity” models:
· Sara Hisamoto, Director of Public Relations for Visit Baltimore
· Jeanine Turner, Artist and Designer of Award Winning Silo Point
· Emily Gracey, Fox 45 Meteorologist
· Weija Jiang, WJZ TV Reporter
· Reagan Warfield , Mix 106.5 .5 Morning Show Host
· Patti Neumann, Owner/Operator of Baltimore City Peek
· Lynette Charles, WMAR TV 2 News Meteorologist
· Carla A. Nelson, Director Mayor’s Office of Minority & Women-Owned Business Development
The Baltimore Sun, Society Writer, Sloane Brown will act as Emcee for the evening’s event.
Along with more than 30 Couture models and Baltimore’s “Good Fellas,” the local “celebrity” models will help showcase the work of the Maryland Academy of Couture Arts, for a fashion show fundraiser that will allow the school to continue providing internships for students with ambitions of being couture fashion designers from City Neighbor’s High School while also supporting the mission of the House of Ruth, MD.
Ella Pritsker, the owner and operator of the Maryland Academy of Couture Arts, is originally from Russia and is formally trained in couture design with more than 20 years experience. MACA is the only school that teaches the seven fundamentals of true European pattern design. Pritsker has a strong belief in creating garments for the “natural” body and not typical retail sizes 0-8; her students learn to create couture clothing for the “real” woman.
Pritsker partnered with Baltimore Fashion Alliance to bring the art of couture clothing to a broader audience and decided to work together to raise funds for two very worthy organizations Baltimore City Charter School City Neighbors and The House of Ruth. Pritsker personally met the staff of City Neighbors School and fell in love with their vision and their students. As a result, Pritsker decided to offer an internship program for students who are interested in learning the fine art of the couturier. She currently has three students working under the guidance of some of MACA’s designers, and have allowed them to begin creating their own couture wear. Additionally, one student is working alongside the event coordinator to learn how an event like this comes together.
The mission of City Neighbors Charter School is to provide an extraordinary public school education with high academic achievement for all students. Their ultimate goal for the school is that through project based learning, arts integration, parental involvement and community outreach, the students leave enlivened, with deep awareness of themselves, their families and the outside community, and with the capacity to be good citizens.
The House of Ruth Maryland leads the fight to end violence against women and their children by confronting the attitudes, behaviors and systems that perpetuate it, and by providing victims with the services necessary to rebuild their lives safely and free of fear.
“Through the Looking Glass” A Premier Couture Fashion Show
Sunday May 1, 2011 at 6 PM at City Neighbors High School
5609 Sefton Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21214
Tickets are $100 VIP, $40 General Admission and $20 for Students. Tickets can be purchased via http://throughthelookingglass2011.eventbrite.com
Sponsorship opportunities are available by visiting MACA’s website at www.marylandsacademyofcouturearts.com