The SCAD Museum of Art and SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film present the dual exhibition, "Refined Irreverence," in celebration of Herrera's achievements and the 35th anniversary of the House of Herrera. The dual exhibition marks the first- ever museum showing of Herrera's formidable work.

ATLANTA and SAVANNAH, Ga., April 21, 2016 — (PRNewswire) — The Savannah College of Art and Design announced today that it will honor legendary fashion designer Carolina Herrera with the university's prestigious Étoile Award at 2 p.m., Friday, May 20, 2016, at Arnold Hall theater, 1810 Bull St., in Savannah. The presentation is free and open to the public.

The university will also honor and celebrate the 35-year reign of the storied House of Herrera with an expansive dual exhibition of Herrera's designs. "Refined Irreverence" opens simultaneously on May 20 at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta and at the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah.

"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."

The SCAD Étoile Award honors past and present outstanding achievements in style and design. Herrera joins previous SCAD Étoile Award honorees, including Pierre Cardin, David Yurman, Catherine Deneuve, Cornelia Guest, Russell Simmons, Dakota Jackson, Graydon Carter, Sir David Tang, Robin Givhan and Margaret Russell. Famed fashion designers, including Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang and others, have attended the annual SCAD Fashion Show each year to provide SCAD students with unrivaled real-world critiques of their work.

To date, SCAD has also honored fashion industry titans Karl Lagerfeld, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang, Francisco Costa, Manolo Blahnik, Miuccia Prada, Zac Posen and Vivienne Westwood during its annual signature fashion events and lecture series. This year's SCAD Fashion Show will be held at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., in Savannah.

"Refined Irreverence" is the inaugural museum exhibition of Herrera's designs. The exhibition also celebrates SCAD's first concurrent show at both SCAD FASH, the university's new museum dedicated to fashion and film in Atlanta, and SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah's destination for progressive arts installations and performances since 2011.

Curated by Rafael Gomes, SCAD director of fashion exhibitions, the retrospective of more than 75 garments will feature new and vintage Herrera designs, from her 1981 inaugural collection to the present. The sweeping presentation will include runway looks, bridal collections, red-carpet gowns worn by Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Tina Fey, Renée Zellweger and Lucy Liu, as well as works from Herrera's personal collection.

SOCIAL MEDIA

SCAD FASH is on Twitter (@scadfash), Instagram (#SCADFASH) and Facebook (SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film). SCAD (#SCAD) is on Twitter, Instagram (@SCADdotedu) and Facebook (SCAD — The University of Creative Careers). SCAD Museum of Art (#SCADMOA) is on Twitter, Instagram (@scadmoa) and Facebook (SCAD Museum of Art). Paula Wallace is on Twitter and Instagram (@PaulaSWallace) and can also be found on YouTube.

ABOUT CAROLINA HERRERA

Carolina Herrera is an international fashion house recognized for timeless elegance and refinement. Founded in 1981 by Carolina Herrera, the eponymous label produces numerous collections consisting of ready-to-wear and accessories for women, men and children, as well as bridal and fragrances available in 105 countries at 15,000 points of distribution, including over 125 CH Carolina Herrera and three Carolina Herrera New York retail locations. The collections reflect an effortless sophistication inherent in the iconic style of founder Carolina Herrera. Visit carolinaherrera.com, facebook.com/carolinaherrerany and follow @houseofherrera on Instagram for the latest news from inside the house.

ABOUT THE SCAD FASHION SHOW

The SCAD Fashion Show is one of the premier student fashion shows in the country. Graduating SCAD fashion students from Savannah and Atlanta submit their work to a juried competition for critique by fashion industry professionals and designers. Outstanding students are invited to present their collections at the annual showcase at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 21, 2016. The runway showcase spotlighting top student collections will be held at Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St., in Savannah. Tickets for the fashion show can be purchased from Savannah Box Office online, in person at Trustees Theater or by phone at 912.525.5050.

ABOUT SCAD FASH MUSEUM OF FASHION + FILM

SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film celebrates fashion as a universal language, garments as important conduits of identity and film as an immersive and memorable medium. Located at 1600 Peachtree St. — the nexus of the SCAD Atlanta campus — the museum focuses on the future of fashion design. Embedded within the top-ranked SCAD School of Fashion, the museum's mission and programs are fortified by the on-site expertise of nearly 30 full- time university professors devoted to the study of fashion and film. SCAD FASH connects conceptual to historical principles of dress — whether ceremonial, celebratory or casual — and its dynamic exhibitions, captivating films and educationally enriching events are open to visitors of all ages.

ABOUT THE SCAD MUSEUM OF ART

The SCAD Museum of Art is a premier contemporary art museum established to enrich education of SCAD students and attract and delight visitors from around the world. Introducing new exhibitions every academic quarter, the museum showcases work by a range of highly acclaimed professional artists, inspiring and challenging students across disciplines to push the boundaries of their creative practice. The SCAD Museum of Art was recognized with the 2014 AIA Institute Honor Award for Architecture, named one of CNN's 11 coolest buildings in North America and earned the National Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award. The museum houses the Walter O. Evans Center for African American Studies, a multidisciplinary center for the study, understanding and appreciation of African American culture, art and literature.

The SCAD Museum of Art has received support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation, as well as gifts and grants from numerous family foundations, corporations and individuals. Foundation donors include the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Charles A. Frueauff Foundation, Georgia Power Foundation, Hallmark Foundation, J.C. Lewis Foundation, Pfizer Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and Wyeth Foundation for American Art. Support has also come from a range of corporations, including 1600 Peachtree, THA Group, Latham & Watkins, Stanley Convergent Security Solutions, ArKay, Carver Community Development Corporation and T.W. Lord & Associates.