Stylish, and Then Some, South of the Border: Woodbury University Turns Out for InnovaModa

University Becomes Event's First Educational Partner; Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing Faculty Engage with Tijuana Fashion Community. End Quote

Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA (1888PressRelease) January 20, 2016 - Fashion is often regarded as a universal language, and that was definitely the vibe as Woodbury University became the first educational partner of InnovaModa (http://www.tijuanainnovadora.com/innovamoda-2015), an annual celebration of fashion, culture and design, held in Tijuana late last year.

Woodbury occupied a prominent position in the multi-day event, which drew some 1,400 attendees, with opportunities for the university's representatives to showcase Woodbury's programs, to learn more about Tijuana and Mexico in fashion and beyond, and to meet some of the country's top-level figures in fashion and related disciplines. InnovaModa was held at CECUT, deemed the cultural and architectural jewel of Tijuana.

Kathryn Hagen, MFA, professor of Fashion Design, gave two Design and Visual Skills master classes in English, for fashion design students and fashion design professionals, respectively. Fashion Marketing Chair Wendy Bendoni delivered a single presentation in English, on digital disruption in social media. Spanish language presentations spanned the gamut, from editorial fashion photography, sustainable fashion and "Makeup for the Movies," to the legal protection of fashion design and "Fashion as Business."

A three-part runway show included 50+ looks by winners of a public design competition held in Tijuana, 12-15 Woodbury looks from recent student collections, and commentary from experts in the community.

"InnovaModa organizers were excited to have an educational institution from L.A. on hand because that gave an international cachet to the event," Hagen said. "The runway show was professional and truly beautiful. I was extremely impressed by the looks, and the enthusiasm, energy and support for young designers and artists. The number of models was astonishing.

"From Woodbury's perspective, InnovaModa proved to be a powerful partnership between Fashion Marketing and Fashion Design," she said. "We were able to address different aspects of the industry in an organized and thoughtful manner, suggesting cutting-edge ways young designers can function without spending a lot on advertising."

"Many in the audience didn't realize all the things they could write about or talk about that were happening in their own neighborhoods," Bendoni said. "Everybody came together to show what they could do, and to establish a platform to start a conversation about how amazing these young designers are. Those who stood out reflected on where they've come from -- beach communities, where craftsmanship and leatherwork have been passed down over 30 years, to modern/contemporary folk art today. We want to help them push those unique conversations coming from their designs."

According to Hagen, craftsmanship from the Tijuana cohort may well qualify some for L.A. Fashion Week. "I'm hoping to give them content to bring to Los Angeles and to Woodbury itself, which would be a productive result of our involvement in InnovaModa," she said.

"As this event demonstrated, Fashion Marketing is changing the game," Bendoni said. "Through social media, designers in Tijuana are now on the same playing field as some of biggest designers in the world. It's about being exposed to different ways of thinking. Anybody can sew. How you put it all together, what your ideas are, is what matters - not where you live."

About Woodbury University
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California. With campuses in Burbank/Los Angeles and San Diego, the university offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Transdisciplinarity, along with a Master of Business Administration, Master of Arts in Media for Social Justice, Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Interior Architecture (MIA), Master of Science in Architecture (MSArch), and Master of Leadership. The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture, Master of Leadership, Master of Interior Architecture and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees, as well as an MSArch degree with a concentration in Real Estate Development. Woodbury ranks in the top 4 percent nationally in The Economist's first-ever survey of American colleges. In 2014, the university ranked 15th among the nation's "25 Colleges That Add the Most Value," according to Money Magazine, and is a 2014-2015 College of Distinction. Visit woodbury.edu for more information.

Media Contact
Ken Greenberg
Edge Communications, Inc.
(323) 469-3397
ken ( @ ) edgecommunicationsinc dot com

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