My Two Worlds Collide: Architecture and Fashion

As many in the San Diego AEC industry know, my background before McCullough Landscape Architecture was in the fashion industry. I have a degree from FIDM in Fashion Merchandising and Marketing. Last week I experienced the moment where my two worlds actually collided – the NEWH’s Hospitality Fashion Challenge: Design in a Box – held Thursday, March 20 at FLUXX. 

The event included a fashion show and cocktail reception held during the BDWest trade show. Architects and other hospitality vendor teams presented their entry creations of couture fashions crafted from scraps of tile, carpet samples and other reusable design elements donated by BDWest exhibitors. These amazing pieces were showcased, judged and auctioned for $1,000+ in celebration of creativity and ingenuity. Proceeds were donated to the NEWH Scholarship Foundation, an organization for students in the hospitality industry. How apropos for a former fashion industry executive-turned owner of a landscape architecture firm focusing on hospitality projects to stumble on this collision. It was a lot of fun!

Who knows, perhaps I find myself involved in one of next year’s creations since several of the entries were created by a MLA client – like the one above designed by Margit Whitlock and her team at Architectural Concepts. Bravo!

--Catherine