Fashion Designer Lela Rose Honored By Martha Graham School Of Dance 6/11

The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance will honor fashion designer Lela Rose at their Annual School Luncheon on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 12:00 noon at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park.

Texas native Lela Rose graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1993. Her education continued under the tutelage of Christian Francis Roth, and soon thereafter, Richard Tyler, with whom she worked to cultivate her design aesthetic and sensibility. In 1996, Lela's vision and passion compelled her to create her signature collection, Lela Rose. Through intricately designed and finely detailed separates, dresses and jackets, Lela Rose has established herself as a renowned designer. Available in specialty stores nationwide, Lela's beautifully detailed collection has garnered her a following from trendsetters across the country.

"The inspiration I find in the Martha Graham dancers while creating a collection infuses movement and life into each one of my pieces. In terms of similarities, my process is much like the dancers in that I highly value grace and discipline. Standing still and alone, the dancers would fade into the background. However, with movement and in unison, they are able to transform their beings into whimsical spirits.

The form fitting dresses and gowns I create transcend static with dynamic movement. Just like the dancers, their structure and precision allow them to take on a beauty that appears airy and flawless."

The Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance has the distinction of being the longest continuously operating school of dance in America and is a charter member of the accrediting organization, the National Association of Schools of Dance. Students come from around the world to study at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, the only school primarily focused upon teaching the Martha Graham Technique and Repertory.

All proceeds from the Luncheon will go to benefit the School's Scholarship Program.