BY ALISON LO
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) will honor Carolina Herrera with its Étoile Award, which recognizes both past and present achievements in style and design. To celebrate her 35-plus years of design, the university is hosting a dual exhibition of her creations called “Refined Irreverence,” opening May 20 at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta and at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, in concurrence with the awards ceremony.
“It is a great privilege to fête 35 years of Carolina Herrera’s timeless elegance, and to engage SCAD students with a designer par excellence,” said SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “Her artistry reflects a refined sensibility that is at once classic and modern. Every woman who wears her designs feels exactly as Carolina intends: beautiful.”
Former SCAD Étoile Award recipients include Pierre Cardin, David Yurman, Catherine Deneuve, Cornelia Guest, and Graydon Carter.
The exhibition, curated by SCAD’s Rafael Gomes, will showcase Herrera’s designs through the years—from her inaugural 1981 collection to her newest pieces—including runway looks, bridal collections, red-carpet gowns worn by Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Tina Fey, Renée Zellweger, and Lucy Liu, and works from the designer’s personal collection.
