By Gray Chapman
Laura Russell, a recent fashion graduate, was honored by fashion designers Jeffrey Kalinski and Isaac Mizrahi with the Jeffrey New Talent award after presenting her designs at the annual Jeffrey Fashion Cares event. The event was held on Aug. 25 at 55 Allen Plaza in downtown Atlanta. Seven fashion graduates were nominated for the awards, all of whom graduated with the fashion B.F.A. in 2008. The nominees presented their designs at Fashion Cares. According to the press materials, Russell’s collection was inspired by modern architecture, and she describes the wearer as “the woman who is not afraid to stand out in a crowd, demands attention and radiates confidence.” The other nominees were Hattie Saltonstall, Jessie Ostermann, Ashlyn Kleber, Jordana Shalhoub, Kristin Monacell and Ashley Gilbert. The collections were inspired by everything from military wear (Gilbert) to the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (Ostermann). The event also featured off-runway models wearing the menswear designs of SCAD alumni David Kolender and Nivanya Abraham.