Vera Wang to Present Solstiss-Academy Award to Top Fashion Student

by · WWD
Vera WangWireImage

Solstiss, the world-renowned French lace house, has revealed the inaugural Solstiss-Academy Award Soiree, an exclusive evening celebrating the next generation of American fashion design. The event will be held Oct. 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy of New York, also known as Villa Albertine, under the patronage of the embassy’s cultural counselor, Mohamed Bouabdallah.

The focus of the evening will be the presentation of the first Solstiss-Academy award given in person by Vera Wang to America’s Top Fashion Student. The winning creation was selected by a distinguished panel of leading fashion designers and executives, based on creativity and the innovative use of Solstiss lace.

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The selection was made last month by an elite group of industry leaders including designers Frederick Anderson, Bonnie Young, Terry Singh and Epperson, along with Fern Mallis, Nicole Fischelis, Maryanne Gritz and Francois Damide of Solstiss.

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Founded in 2023 under the leadership of Damide, Solstiss president and chief executive officer, the Solstiss-Academy was created to give emerging American designers access to traditional French haute couture lace, the same materials used by the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, and to help them discover the history and artistry of French lace while gaining hands-on experience with an haute couture textile.

Solstiss was founded in Caudry, France, with ateliers dating back to 1879. To date, the program has donated more than $150,000 worth of lace and technical support to over 140 participating students, along with more than $100,000 worth of lace awarded to winning students each year.

This year, the Solstiss-Academy has expanded to partner with 10 of the nation’s top fashion schools: Parsons School of Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, Pratt Institute, the Rhode Island School of Design, Otis College of Art and Design, the San Francisco Academy of Art University, University of Redlands, ASU-FIDM, Istituto Marangoni Miami, and Kent State University. The Fashion Institute of Technology has also just signed up to join the program for the upcoming academic year.

Guests will be invited to a runway show featuring the creations from the students at each of the 10 participating schools, followed by the presentation of the Solstiss-Academy Award to the winning student by Wang. Champagne and hors d’oeuvres will be served. The event is open to 200 invited guests.