Baltimore County, MD smARTS, 26 Mar 2018

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From YouTube: Fashion and Culture at Stevenson University

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With Forest Bell from the Stevenson University School of Design, Fashion and Culture.

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( ♪♪♪ ).

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As the david bowie song, goes, "turn to the left, turn to the right, fashion!".

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Today's designers are making fashion statements and cultural statements.

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With me is forest bell from the stevenson university school of design, fashion, and culture. welcome!.

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Thank you very much for having me., and I really am welcoming you because you've only been in the area now. Since...

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August. yes. august., so tell me a little bit about your background quickly and what brought you to stevenson.

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My background,, I started off being trained in high-end evening. Wear.

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And then fell in to lingerie and high-end sportswear.

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and I've been in education for the past ten years.

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So fashion and education have just kind of blended together for me very well.

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And stevenson had an opportunity for a chair and we just-- we mashed up.

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And here you are., so let's talk about this issue of fashion and culture.

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And how the two intersect.

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does fashion influence culture versus the first question?.

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I would have to say it actually is: gonna go the other way. Around.

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okay. culture influences fashion and it works on a bell curve..

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So we started off by having influencers decide how things are going to be built. Up.

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So whether it's fringe culture or trend, forecasters or.

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It could be almost anyone that has this idea that then sparks something.

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So right now what really sparks trends and what really sparks fashion.

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Is going to be celebrities. celebrity culture,, especially with the social media influences.

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And the instantaneous aspect of fashion.

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So that's even a stronger influence now than it used to be.

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absolutely. absolutely.

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So, you know,, you have rhianna who throws on a coat one day.

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And then, all of a sudden, it's selling out in stores.

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So there is that process that happens, and that is how culture.

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Being the arts will influence fashion., so celebrities and pop culture influences fashion.

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And the trends that happen in the marketplace very quickly, now.

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Let's talk about the first ladies., how strong has their influence been on fashion??

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I mean,. I guess it depends on the first lady,, but do you see any changes in that?.

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I would have to say, I believe, in the obama administration.

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There was a lot of influence from the first lady.

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As far as where fashion led to trends and movement in the fashion industry,.

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From the white house., I have not seen it as much in the current administration.

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Okay, all right.

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So let's talk a little bit about what you're doing at stevenson university.

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And the programs you have there and what the students, the kind of work they're doing.

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Currently, at stevenson we have a bachelor's of science degree in fashion design and fashion merchandising.

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They're two separate degrees where students have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the fashion, industry.

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There are two degrees that are in one program,, so we actually work through the entire process of fashion merchandising.

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And fashion design and how they work in the industry, together.

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With that being said,, the fashion designers have the opportunity.

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To show work at new york fashion, week.

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They also have the opportunity to show, at our end of year, fashion, show.

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Amazing opportunities.

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and then the merchandising students also have an opportunity to stretch their merchandising skills at boscov's.

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Where we do trend events and then they also support and work.

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At the new york fashion, week shows, as well as the end of year, fashion, show that we host.

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Okay. so I gotta ask you, you know,.

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The whole fashion industry was portrayed in the devil, wears prada.

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How accurate is that?, are you lining your students up for a tough world out there?.

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Well, it's always a tough world.. The fashion industry is very competitive.

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However, there is a human side of the fashion industry and currently, with the trend of crafting coming back in.

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And the idea of things being handcrafted and socially conscious.

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About where your things come, from, having that awareness,.

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That really does lend to the human factor..

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So while the devil wears prada was a great influence.

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As far as kind of what could happen,, there is definitely more of a human side to it.

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Okay, and so you're saying culture affects fashion,.

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This whole trend towards being more aware of the environment and all of that,.

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Is obviously playing a role? Then. absolutely. sustainability is key.

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And it's one of the things that we at stevenson use as kind of a pivotal point in everything that we teach.

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wow,. I've learned a lot in this very quick interview.

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A lot more to be learned at stevenson university with the great program there.. Thank you. So much. thank you! best wishes to you!. Thank you very much., all right., I'm carolyn black-sotir, and this is smarts,.

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The baltimore county arts and culture show.