Colleen Quen
Couturiere/ Artist
Colleen Quen Couture
Tel: 415.519-3289
Website: www.quenlife.com
www.colleenquenart.com
Facebook: Colleen Quen Couture, Colleen Quen
Instagram: ColleenQuen
Summary
Internationally recognized and award-winning Couturiere, who has, for more than 20 years owned and operated a successful couture atelier. Through a unique design style inspired by nature, art and universe Colleen Quen has garnered a loyal international clientele and a red carpet/celebrity exposure. Quen’s life mission is to internally and externally continue pushing boundaries and influencing the context of fashion through art and design internationally.
2017 * Recognized as a Label of Quality and Excellence and recently have been invited as a Member de la Federation Francaise de la Creation Couture Sur Mesure in Paris
Commissions
o Costume Designer: Alonzo King LINES Ballet, International
--Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Theatre National de Challot, Paris 2013
--Alonzo King Lines Ballet, Maison del la Danse, Lyon France 2013
--100th Anniversary Ballets Russes, "Scheherazade", Zakir Hussain; Monte Carlo; 2009
--Alonzo King and “Shaolin Monks” (World Premiere); Italy, Holland, France; 2007
--Alonzo King and “The Moroccan Project” (World Premiere); Germany, France, Italy; 2005
--Alonzo King and "Koto" (World Premiere); Lyon, France and Venice, Italy; 2003-2004
--Alonzo King and "Who Dressed You Like a Foreigner?", Pharaoh Sanders (National); 2004
--Alonzo King and "Carnivale" and "Tania-Flamenco" (National); 2002
--Alonzo King and "The People of the Forest" (National); 2001
o Costume Designer: Levy Dance, San Francisco
--Levy Dancers, Ben Levy, "Bone Lines" with Kronos Quartet (National); 2007
--Levy Dancers and Colleen Quen, “The Supper Club, Modern Dance and Fashion, San Francisco; 2005
o Fashion and Interior Design: Boutique Hotel Diva
--"LeeQuen Lounge Fifth Floor", San Francisco; 2007
o Costume Designer: Facing East Dance and Music
--Angel Island Dance Project, San Francisco; 2003
--Five Elements, San Francisco; 2001
o Champagne Perrier Jouet 100th Anniversary/American Ballet Theatre Benefit Gala “Le Bal de Fleur”, The Surrogate’s Court, New York City; 2002
o Champagne Perrier Jouet 100th Anniversary Evening Gown commission for Vivica A. Fox, New York City; 2002
Sponsorships
o 9th Annual Fashion on The Square, Guest Couture Designer San Francisco, 2013
o El Paseo Palm Springs Fashion Week, Guest Designer Fashion Show, Palm Springs, California; 2010
o The Arthritis Foundation
--"The New Look" Fashion Show, St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco; 2010
--"Fleurtations" Fashion Show, St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco; 2003
o Champagne Perrier Jouet/Nob Hill Spa/Huntington Hotel, “Fleur Inspired” Fashion Show; 2002
Art Grants
o National Endowment for the Arts, Access to Excellence Grant, the ZERO1 Art & Technology Network. Grant supported the TECHstlye SoftWEAR, Surface & Shape installation, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA 2010
o Irvine Foundation Creative Connections Grant to expand TECHstlye SoftWEAR, Surface & Shape installation, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA 2010
o Applied Material Excellence in the Arts Grant to expand TECHstlye SoftWEAR, Surface & Shape installation, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA 2010
Art Galleries
• Live Worms Gallery- “In the Spirit of Fashion” Selected work, San Francisco, September
September 14-16, 2017.
* The China Brotsky Gallery, “in the Spirit of Fashion”, The Thoreau Center for Sustainability,
San Francisco, June 12- Sept 5, 2014. Benefit for AAWAA.
July 10, August 7 and Sept 4- Live painting.
* SF MOMA Artists Gallery- Fort Mason, San Francisco. July 2014- present
Exhibitions
o “Cousu D’or, Magical Weaving” Tissages Ekaya, Monday 29 January 2018 – 6- 8pm Sofitel Paris Le Faoubourg, 15 rue Boissy d’Anglas, 75008 Paris. Exposition January 22- February 25, 2018. Federation Francaise de la Creation Couture Sur Mesure, Paris.
o The California Museum: “California’s Remarkable Women “, 200 diverse women who have strengthened, shaped and served the Godlen State. The exhibition honors Couture Designer Colleen Quen’s Madame Butterfly. 2011-present.
o The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles/ ZeroOne: The Art and Technology,
“TechStyle and Softwear” Installation; Corinne Okada Takara, Colleen Quen and Rick Lee.
Permanent Collection. San Jose, 2010
o The California Museum, "The Women's Conference" Exhibit, three “Butterfly Gowns”; 2010
o Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Biennale II Opening Exhibit, LeeQuen "The Butterfly Dream", Shanghai, China; 2008
o LeeQuen Atelier, "Oroborus" Fashion and Furniture Exhibition, San Francisco; 2007
o Asian Art Museum/LeeQuen Atelier, "Five Elements" Fashion and Furniture Exhibition, San Francisco; 2003
o Vanity Fair Atelier/Ted, Inc./Bryant Park Hotel/Champagne Perrier Jouet, "Fleur Blanc de Blancs Gown", New York; 2002
o LeeQuen Atelier, "Five Elements" Fashion and Furniture Exhibition, San Francisco; 2000
Group Selected Exhibitions
o Mark Wolfe Gallery, San Francisco, "Interpreting Ancient Chinese Fashion"; 2008
o W Hotel Westwood, Los Angeles, "The Little Black Dress: Thirty West Coast Designers”; 2005
o 30 Vandam Boutique, New York, "From Bryant Park to Wall Street: Dress for Success” Fashion Show with Lucky Magazine/Tim Gunn; 2004
o Yerba Buena Center of the Arts Museum, "Seamless: A New Breed of Fashion Show", San Francisco; 2002
o Oakland Museum, "Fusion Artwear" Fashion Show, Cicada Boutique, Oakland, California; 1998
Professional Selected Exhibitions/Awards/Media Recognition
o Fashion on The Square, Certificate of Honor from the City and County of SF- Honored and Inspired as native SF Couture Designer- with FOTS- 15 years retrospective of my Designs. 2013
o Fashion on The Square, Certificate of Honor from the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of S.F- Recognition of artistry and 30 years in dedication in the Design Industry in SF, 2013.
o Isadora Duncan Award, “Scheherazade”- Alonzo King’s Ballet- San Francisco, Outstanding Achievement in Visual Design for Costume Design. 2012
o San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) 75th Anniversary “Muse” Campaign, Colleen Quen, Artist Iconic Muse with “Woman with a Hat” by Henri Matisse, San Francisco; 2010
o San Francisco Magazine, “The Best of the Bay: Obsessions”, Fashion Designer Colleen Quen,
2008
o New York IMG Fashion Week Live/Sephora Fashion Show, SF Representative Fashion Designer,
Alek Wek, San Francisco; 2007
o Fashion Group International, 9th Annual Rising Star Award, Finalist in Womens’ Ready-to-Wear Category, New York; 2006
o GenArts Fresh Faces, "Inspiration Defined", Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; 2004
o 7x7 Magazine (San Francisco), “The Hot Issue”, Rick Lee and Colleen Quen; 2003
o GenArts 4th Annual International Competition, Eveningwear Finalist, Hammerstein Ballroom, New York; 2002
o Asian Week, “The Best of the Asian Pacific American Bay Area”, Fashion Designer; 2002
Fashion Week
o Palm Springs "Quen of the Earth", El Paseo Palm Springs; 2010
o San Francisco “Compassion”, San Francisco Design Center; 2006
o San Francisco "Empress’s New Clothes", Palace of Fine Arts; 2005
o San Francisco "Spring is in the Air", Palace of Fine Arts; 2004
Seminars and Instruction
o Water Color Painting Instructor: Walt Disney Museum, San Francisco, April 2014
o Fashion Design Instructor, California College of the Arts, 2013 to 2017.
o Speaker, The Women's Conference/Maria Shriver, "Only in California: A Celebration of California Creativity", The California Museum, Sacramento; 2010
o Fashion Design Instructor, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, San Francisco; 2009 to 2014.
o Fashion Design Instructor, San Francisco City College, San Francisco; 2005
o Speaker, Open House Seminars, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, San Francisco; 2000 to present
Media Profile Recognition
Select Film
o “ Colleen Quen” 3-minute film, by Le Lu Productions. 2013
o "Interpreting Ancient Chinese Fashion: Miao Tribal Villages 2008-2009” , a PBS Documentary featuring Quen as a fashion journalist and narrator, d3 Productions; premiere screening 2008
o Alonzo King Venice, Italy Short Film, “Madame Butterfly” gown; 2004
Commercials
o Mattel, Inc./Brownstone Productions, Inc., Los Angeles, “I Can Be” TV Spot, Barbie Fashion Designer; Movie Theatres: AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Kerasotes, Hollywood, Georgia, Goodrich. 2010
Select Television
o CWTV, “America’s Next Top Model” Cycle 9, Episode 3, Guest Designer/Fashion Show and Judge, Los Angeles; 2007
o CBS, “48th Annual Grammy Awards”, Melissa Rivers wearing “Kenya” cocktail dress on red carpet, Los Angeles; 2006
o FOX, “The Tyra Banks Show”, Tyra Banks wearing “Paris” dress; 2005
o E! Entertainment, “32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards”, Tyra Banks interviewed by Jerry Hall wearing Emmy Award Evening gown, New York; 2005
o CBS, “32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards”, Tyra Banks wearing Colleen Quen gown as presenter, Radio City Music Hall, New York; 2005
o FOX, “North Shore” (TV series)“Green Lily” cocktail dress; 2004
o “The Larry King Show”, McKenzie Westmore wearing “Ribbon” evening dress; 2004
o PBS Special, New York 100th Anniversary Perrier Jouet “La Bal de Fleur” Event and Vivica A. Fox wearing Colleen Quen Couture Anniversary gown. 2003
o E! Fashion Style, “Big Boutique”, Television profile, United Kingdom, 2003
Select Local Television Profiles
o KPIX, “Eye on the Bay”, profile/interview, Fashion Designer, “The Black and White Ball”; 2010
o KPIX, profile/interview, Bay Area Fashion Designer, Asian American Heritage Month; 2008
o KGO, “View from the Bay”, profiles/interviews, "Miao Collection", "Oroborus"; 2008/2007/2006
o KQED, “Spark!”, profile with Ben Levy, Costume Designer for "Bone lines"; 2008
Select Newspaper/Internet/Magazine Profiles
o Style SF Chronicle, Madame Butterfly- Designer Colleen Quen spreads her wings in first art Exhibiton- 2014
o Style SF Chronicle, Calender- In the Spirit of Fashion- June 12, 2014
o Style SF Chronicle, Calender- Disney Painting Class with Colleen Quen, April 2014
o Style SF Chronicle, Fashion on the Square, By Tony Bravos, 2013
o Style SF Chronicle, Preview: Colleen Quen on the Runway, By Tony Bravas, 2013
o GeV Magazine: Cover Story and profile- fashion Spread, 2013
o Style SF Chronicle, Rolling with the Stones: Art Collectors Norah and Norman Stone, 2012
o Women’s Wear Daily, “Silicon Valley Meets Art at Techstyle Softwear Show”; 2010
o SFis Cover Story; Modern Butterfly; A Couturier spreads her wings, Quens New Look takes Flight; November 2010
o San Francisco Magazine, “Best of the Bay”, Couture Designer; 2008
o Four Seasons Magazine, profile on Colleen Quen and Atelier; Winter Issue 2007
o Out Magazine, “Paris Hilton Cover Story “ Paris Hilton Defines Hot”, 2006
o Forbes Magazine (US), “The Fashion Outsiders”, editorial interview, “Saketini” dress; 2006
o FashionWireDaily.com, “SF Fashion Week”, interview; 2006 and 2005
o World China Newspaper, “Fashion and Furniture” profile with Rick Lee and Colleen Quen; 2005
o Paper City Magazine, “Rick Lee and Colleen Quen Create a Monsoon”, full page profile; 2003
o International Herald Tribune, “Freedom To Be Fanciful”, interview; 2001
o San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, “Quen the Fashion Queen”, profile; 2000
Select Newspaper/Internet/Magazine
o Vision Magazine (China), red “Georgia O'Keefe” gown; 2007
o Flair Magazine (Italy), “Calatrava” gown; 2007
o Marie Claire Magazine (US), “Saketini” dress; 2006
o British Brides Magazine, "Flight of Fancy", editorial, “Madame Butterfly” wedding gown; 2006
o Glamour Magazine (New York), Paris Hilton wearing “Pineappletini” dress; 2006
o Mode Magazine (Germany), editorial, Bai Ling wearing “Feather” coat; 2005
o Suede Magazine, “Tyra on the Top”, “Tequila Sunrise” gown; 2005
o Los Angeles Times, "California Does Washington in Style", FIDM Inaugural Fashion Show, “Van Gogh” ball gown; 2005/2004
o VogueParis.com, “SF Fashion Week”, “Manhattan” dress; 2004
Publications
Shanghai Museum of Modern Art, “Shanghai Biennale 2008”, "Butterfly Dream"; 2008
Select Celebrities Gowns
Jennifer Newsom, First Lady (Los Angeles); 2010
Natalia Markarova (SF Fashion Week); 2007
Melissa Rivers (Grammy Awards); 2006
Deborah Gibson (38th Annual Academy of Magical Arts Awards); 2006
Tyra Banks (The Tyra Banks Show and NY Daytime Emmy Awards); 2005
Filippa Giordano (opera performance); 2005
Drew Jacoby (Prima Ballerina, The Princess Grace Awards NY); 2005
Macy Gray (Grammy Awards); 2005
Geena Davis (Inaugural Ball); 2005
Kelly Carlson (“Head Cases”); 2005
Vivica A. Fox (100th Anniversary Perrier Jouet); 2002
Select Community Services
o San Francisco Symphony Black and White Ball, Fashion Designer; 2010
o Discarded to Divine Fundraiser Opening, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, San Francisco; 2010 and 2008
o Asian Art Museum
--"Power and Glory Court: Arts of China's Ming Dynasty", Fashion Exhibit; 2008
--"Saving Asia's Treasures"; 2004 and 2003
o San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival’s 30th Anniversary, Fashion Auction; 2008 and 2009
o Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Fashion Show; 2007, 2006 and 2005
o Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fashion Show, Kneedler Fauchere Fabric, Fashion Auction, "Couture for the Cure", San Francisco; 2007, 2005 and 2003
o 50th Anniversary Girls Town of Italy, Guest Designer Fashion Show, The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco; 2005
o The Webby Awards, “Five Elements of Fashion”, Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco; 2004
o The San Francisco Opera Guild, "Saluting SF Opera's 81st Season", The Fairmont Hotel; 2003
Retailers
o LeeQuen Atelier, Couture Collection, San Francisco; 2000-2012
o Bloomingdales, Guest Designer Trunk Show, San Francisco; 2006
o Marina Morrison Bridal, Wedding Collection, San Francisco; 2003-2004
o Kleinfeld's, Wedding Collection, New York; 2004
o 30 Vandam, Ready-to-Wear Women's Collection, New York; 2003-2004
Memberships
o Fashion Group International, San Francisco and New York; 2001 to 2009
o San Francisco Opera Guild Board Member, San Francisco; 2001 to present
o San Francisco Symphony Board Member, San Francisco; 2003 to present
o GenArts Fashion Design Alumni, San Francisco and New York; 2002 to present
o Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Alumni, San Francisco and Los Angeles; 1986 to present
Education
o Certificate, Simmons School of French Dress Designing and Patternmaking, San Francisco; 1993-1996
o Associate of Arts, The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, San Francisco, CA, Honor Roll, 1985-1986
o Courses in Business and Computer Software Engineering , California State University, Hayward; 1980-1985