» Timken Museum’s Art of Fashion Let's go somewhere.

The Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park showcased a rare exhibition of fashion inspired by fine art at the eighth annual Art of Fashion 2015 fundraiser on April 20, 2015. More than 200 fashion enthusiasts from throughout Southern California attended the event, led by honorary chair Dame Zandra Rhodes, international fashion icon and designer.

Ten graduate student costume designers from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s (UCLA TFT) David C. Copley Center for Costume Design have created half-scale costumes inspired by Claude-Joseph Vernet’s 1749 “A Seaport at Sunset” from the Timken collection.

Original costume designs ranging from classic to wildly dramatic will showcase the talents of the students. Each student performed extensive research and infused a certain element of the masterwork in their one-of-a-kind designs, from the unusually large sky, the lighthouse, the ships in the harbor, the tradesmen and their families to the distinctive landscape of the mountain range.

Prior to the evening’s soiree, Rhodes and an honorary committee of fashion-forward and civic-minded female philanthropists will judge the designs at an exclusive private luncheon in the museum, which includes remarks by Academy Award-nominated costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Ph.D., professor and founding director of the UCLA TFT Copley Center.

Attendees were able to to see the winning designs from last year’s gala as well as those from previous Art of Fashion events: Masterworks on display will come to life as guests examine the remarkable costumes up close and speak with the designers about their creations. “Art of Fashion is one of the most important events to the Timken,” says Anita Crider, chief operating officer, Timken Museum of Art. “It’s a brilliant way to construct a creative and interdisciplinary educational opportunity for extremely talented costume design students and it allows us to raise funds for our programs to keep the love of fine art alive in San Diego.

Organizers aim to raise $100,000 at this year’s Art of Fashion, with proceeds supporting the museum’s outreach programs.