San Diego Mesa College’s fashion department held their 29th annual Golden Scissors Fashion Show and Awards Gala at the Westin Horton Plaza on May 8.

The three-hour program, titled “Graffiti & Lace,” showcased 13 student-designed collections and more than 84 individual student pieces. Forty-six student models walked the runway and students from San Diego City College Fashion Photography shot the photos. San Diego City College Cosmetology students took care of hair and makeup.

The show’s opening collection was that of guest designer Katya Pshchenko, a Ukrainian fashion designer whose pieces have walked the catwalk at “Grand Defile” in Milan, Italy after being honored as one of five of the best Ukrainian fashion designers. This was her first show in the U.S.

Alumni designer Kathleen Argerake’s bag collection was the second to hit the runway. Argerake’s original Flea Circus Bags, also known as “Flea Bags,” are made of 98 percent recycled, reclaimed or repurposed materials.

Student designers showed off pieces in categories such as Day and Night, Chantilly Night, Romantic Lace, Urban Dreams, Children’s Wear and Club Wear. After the general groups were done walking the runway, the featured student-made collections were shown. Students drew upon life, interests and fashion’s past, among other things, for inspiration.

The fashion show was followed by an awards ceremony presented by Andrea Marx, program director and Mesa College fashion professor; Susan Lazear, Mesa College fashion professor; and Barbara Kavalier, Mesa College Vice President of Student Services. Before handing out the medals, Kavalier reminded the crowd of the goal of the Mesa Fashion Department.

“Golden Scissors is about providing important first steps towards our students’ achieving their dreams,” said Kavalier.

The Fashion Advisory Committee, consisting of faculty and staff of the Mesa Fashion Department and noted members of the local San Diego fashion industry, judged collections and designs for the awards gala.

Best of show awards for a collection included Megan Costa for Best Workmanship and Michelle D’Alessoundro for Most Creative. The Best of the Best in Continuing Excellence went to Kari Lam and Osbaldo Ahumada.

Ahumada was awarded for his avant-garde piece made entirely of plastic forks in the Free Lance Tagger category. In this fantasy category, designers were not allowed to use any regular fabric for their creations.

For the full collections, Mesa students Lindsay Tanner and Keter Ly tied for third place. In second place were student designers Megan Costa and Michelle D’Alessoundro.

Keith Bonar won first place for his men’s wear collection titled “C’est Bonar;” also the only full menswear collection to walk the runway that night. Bonar aimed to create a collection of modern menswear that is contemporary yet does not forget the past by combining the structure of tailoring and the sculpture of draping.

“Always inspired by fashion history, I looked to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries for inspiration and surveyed the state of menswear at the turn of the 21st,” Bonar said.

Chris Arreguin was awarded The Rising Star. This honor is given to a first year design student who shows promise of becoming an award-winning designer.

First place awards in lesser categories went to:

Millenary-Erica Derby

Weekend Wear-Vana Twohey (denim jacket & gold pants)

Day Wear-Laura Borneman (floral dress)

Special Occasion-Chris Aherns (black strapless dress)

Club Wear-Rachel Flemens (black net 2-piece dress)

Evening Wear-Voshel (blue ruche gown)

Retro-redo-Clara Allen (army green dress)

Fantasy-Rachel Flemens (screen dress with studs)