GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kendall College of Art and Design's Fashion Studies program is being named the Pamella Roland DeVos School of Fashion in honor of a $1 million gift the Dan and Pamella DeVos Foundation has made to the program.
Pamella Roland DeVos, a Grand Rapids native, is a New York City-based designer who has created fashions for a growing number of celebrities and notable names, including Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood under her label, Pamella Roland.
The donation, which will be formalized Tuesday, Oct. 29, will help KCAD's new program grow and raise its profile around the country and within the industry, said David Rosen, president of Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.
“Pamella Roland DeVos’ name is a powerful brand in the world of fashion, and it's an honor for the school of fashion to bear it," Rosen said. "By lending her name to our efforts, Pamella demonstrates both her aspirations for the program and her trust that we will achieve what we envision.”
The DeVos’ gift will support such projects as an annual fashion show and a speaker series, as well as the purchase or upgrade of equipment.
The money also will fund the creation of collaborative projects with designers and retailers in the region, including a fashion atelier for young designers to produce small runs of their designs.
Pamella Roland DeVos, who is president and designer of Pamella Roland, said she's pleased to help the next generation of designers.
“My husband, Dan, and I believe that this program is poised to take off, and we're thrilled to be participating at the ground level,” she said. “I’m excited for the students to have extraordinary opportunities to hone their craft and pursue their passion in the fashion world.
"Designers are the engine of the fashion industry, and I look forward to watching Kendall graduates become a force in the field over the coming years," she said.
Inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2010, Rolland DeVos also serves on the boards of several arts and civic organizations including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City and the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. She's an honorary life trustee of both the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Grand Rapids Symphony.
Pamella Roland DeVos' name is expected to help open doors in the fashion industry, presenting new opportunities to KCAD fashion studies students. Already, Roland DeVos’ connections have facilitated a partnership between the program and NYC’s internationally-recognized Fashion Institute of Technology that will allow KCAD fashion students to spend one year of their college career studying at FIT.
"Supporting the program will increase its visibility and impact in the fashion industry, not only locally, but in the key design centers of New York, Milan and beyond," she said.
"Ultimately, we’re working together to make a difference for students, for West Michigan, and for fashion around the world.”
The gift also helps KCAD establish its fashion studies program in its Woodbridge N. Ferris building at 17 Pearl St. NW, located in the former home of Grand Rapids Art Museum. The five-story Beaux Arts structure, which was constructed in 1909, is on the National Register of Historic Places and received the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation and LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Related: Check out changes inside Old Federal Building after Kendall College's $31 million makeover
Rosen said he's impressed by the DeVos’ belief in and commitment to the fledgling program at Kendall College.
“It's easy for a donor to put their name on something that's already established,” he said. “But to invest in a start-up enterprise is entrepreneurial in the highest degree and resonates with Pamella’s spirit and the spirit of this community.
Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk covers arts and entertainment for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jkaczmarczyk@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.
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