Blayne Goldwasser

Style Observations With Vickie Bernie

The Dayton Jewish Observer, December 2009

Vicki Bernie

University of Cincinnati College of Design student Blayne Goldwasser always sketched fashion designs when she was growing up. “I explored other things but I always came back to fashion. It just seemed to fit — no pun intended,” the Dayton native says.

Twenty-two-year-old Blayne is in the last year of her five-year program and this winter will work for designer Anna Sui in New York. This will be her sixth internship.

“I love the program,” she says. “It’s really great and when I graduate I will have so much experience in the field.” Blayne has served as an intern with Aeropostale in New York and Trovata in Newport Beach, Calif.

In the summer of 2008, she revamped the wardrobe of L.A.-based singer Mary Arden Collins. “She gave me a ton of vintage fabric and I became inspired,” Blayne says. “She also gave me two huge bins of t-shirts and I made a lot of dresses for her performances.”

In addition to designing and actually making clothing, Blayne’s responsibilities during internships included tech design, fittings with models, measuring, checking specs, correcting patterns and sourcing trends.

As for Blayne’s future, she is focused on going to New York.

L.A. singer Mary Arden Collins models an outfit that Blayne Goldwasser designed and made for her

“My goal is to sort of learn the process from a big-name designer such as Anna Sui. I’ve also always loved Donna Karan. I love the way she thinks about a woman when she designs. Similarly Diane Von Furstenberg. These are people I could see myself working for.”

Blayne grew up in Dayton and moved to Vandalia right before high school. She was very involved with BBYO, serving on the Dayton Chapter board as treasurer and president and as treasurer of the Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio regional board. “It was a huge part of my growing up and I loved it.”

As far as her own designs, Blayne has some definite ideas. “I like to do really classic silhouettes with interesting details. I like mainly women’s classic American sportswear.

Right now, in terms of my design aesthetic, I am mixing feminine things and adding masculine elements. For example, I am doing some really feminine dresses and putting on notched collars and welt pockets and giving them a tailored look.

“I really just like to work with natural fabrics. I love silk chiffon — that to me is just gorgeous! But it depends on what you are making. Fabric is everything with the garment. The wrong fabric with the wrong style could ruin it.”

Dayton native Natalie Carne models a Blayne Goldwasser design

Students of the College of Design have a senior thesis in which they design a mini-collection of eight garments. Each student/designer debuts his or her collection at the school’s senior collection fashion show in June, sponsored by Macy’s.

“It is really well done and professional with lighting, a DJ and the whole works,” she says.
Blayne’s collection is taking shape as she makes her patterns and cuts out fabric at school and does her sewing at home.

“My collection is based on Katharine Hepburn,” she says. “I’ve been watching a lot of her movies, focusing on the eras in the late ‘30s and ‘40s. She really inspired me because she was an innovator: wore pants and was athletic, but was still feminine at the same time. That’s where I got the idea to do feminine stuff with masculine elements.”

Blayne is using some silk satin, silk chiffon and stretch Lycra as well as wool to do suit jackets.

“I’m also using nylon chiffon — really stretchy and sheer. I’m working with a lot of neutral colors. One of my dresses will be a layering of black fabric over nude. Trim and other accessories are to be determined. What we do in our classes is very different from Project Runway. I love the show, but we don’t usually whip up outfits in one day.”