DAAP grad designs to benefit hospital

University of Cincinnati alumnus and noted fashion designer David Meister is set to return to his hometown of Cincinnati the week of Oct. 5 for a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital benefit. 

At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, Meister is scheduled to appear at the Saks Fifth Avenue store downtown to preview his latest collection of women’s wear and raise money for
the hospital.

Once Meister initially agreed to host this event at Saks, a representative from the retail store contacted Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (CCH), marking the first time the two have
worked together.

CCH donor-relations officer Cathy Westrich provided a list of areas in the hospital that could benefit from the fundraiser.  The Saks representative chose the surgical innovation fund, which will receive 5 percent of Thursday evening’s sales.

“We are so grateful they thought of [CCH] to be the recipient of this benefit,” Westrich said.

Although the partnership with CCH was arranged through Saks, Meister has a personal connection with the hospital. When he was 5 years old, he spent more than one week receiving treatment at the hospital.

“I was very well taken care of and treated very nicely,” Meister recalls.

It was also at this age that Meister first realized his passion for clothing.  He was happy growing up in Northgate, but itched to get out of the quiet town. 

“Even at 5 years old, I knew there had to be more interesting things out there,” Meister said.

The suburbs of Cincinnati might not be the ideal spot for a budding fashion enthusiast, but Meister made due.  He was inspired by the fashion sense of his mother, grandmother and uncle.  As Meister remembers, he had an eye for flair from the beginning, starting with his “favorite kindergarten look,” consisting of a red and white floral shirt paired with purple bell-bottoms and a white belt.

“I was always very interested in art, color and clothing,” Meister said.  “And I was always very opinionated about not only what others wore but what I wore as well.”

It wasn’t until Meister was 10 years old that he thought of fashion as something he could pursue as a career.  One summer evening, Meister turned on the television to see the now iconic “Sonny and Cher Show.” 

“I was instantly drawn to Cher and her amazing gowns,” Meister said.  “At the end of the show, I saw ‘Cher’s gowns by Bob Mackie.’  That is when the wheels started to turn.”

Having an early-onset interest in fashion and a great academic record, Meister was cut out for UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.  There, he majored in fashion design from 1980 to 1985.  From the rigorous program, to his professors, to the overall experience, Meister sums it all up as “amazing.”

With only 38 students in his track’s graduating class, Meister enjoyed the individual attention he received in the classroom. 

“It was unique in the sense that it was a small family sort of atmosphere,” Meister said.  The track’s requirement of six professional practice programs also helped prepare him for the real world of fashion.

“After graduation, moving to New York wasn’t as nearly as overwhelming. I had already lived there, had some connections and knew people.”  Some of Meister’s co-op jobs as a student included working for the Theatre Development Fund Costume Shop, Danskin,
Ellen Tracy and an intimate apparel company.

It wasn’t all glitz and glamour, though, and Meister remembers struggling through the difficult and time-consuming workload many students can relate to today. 

“I took between 18 and 21 credits each quarter,” Meister recalled.  “Many of those were studio classes, in which I only got one credit for every three hours. I was often in the classroom [more than] 30 hours a week before I even started homework or projects.”

Luckily, Meister had the support of DAAP’s faculty and staff to help him through the five-year program. 

“I really have very fond memories of my instructors,” he said.  “Since our classes were so small, I got to know them on a much more personal level.”

Most of his professors had a lasting impression on Meister, one of which was Margie Voelker-Ferrier, who taught him illustrationand design.

“She was so creative, very easy going and relaxed. She was also very encouraging,” Meister said.

Voelker-Ferrier also remembers working with Meister. 

“David was an outstanding student in his class of outstanding students,” she said. Meister had a talent for understanding clothing, Voelker-Ferrier said.

“He loved designing and creating dresses and he really gets what makes a woman beautiful,” Voelker-Ferrier said.  She recalled shopping at a Detroit Neiman Marcus when a certain black dress on a mannequin caught her eye.

“I remarked that it was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen,” she said.  “The fit, the shape, everything about it was exactly the way I would teach a design student to make it.”  Having to know who had designed this “perfect” dress, she checked the neckline for a label.  It was Meister’s design.

“He just has it,” Voelker-Ferrier said.

Upon graduation, Meister trekked off to the Big Apple to pursue his dream.  Aside from missing his family, “the toughest part was starting out, making no money and trying to make it all work in New York.” 

Meister spent his first year commuting an hour and a half to and from West Caldwell, N.J., to Manhattan each day. He would be on a bus by 6:30 a.m. and would not return home until around 10 p.m.  Fortunately, Meister was used to long and strenuous schedules at DAAP.

“Between all of the project deadlines and all-nighters, [DAAP] certainly helped pave the way for the real world,” Meister said.

Although Meister acknowledged the fashion industry is an extremely competitive one, he continues to succeed in it.  His line of “modern and sexy” day and evening women’s wear is known for its flattering cuts and fabrics. Nearly all of his clothing is knit or made of a stretchy fabric. This prevents wrinkling, makes the garment more comfortable and well-fitting and allows for easier travel, Meister said.

“I am a big believer that well-designed clothing should have a certain sense of timelessness,” Meister said.  “A well-designed dress should not only look great now but should still look great and relevant five years from now.”

Indeed, Meister persisted to play a significant role in the fashion business by dressing Tina Fey, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Diane Lane and Sharon Stone for various red carpet events in recent years.

In June, Meister was recognized by his alma mater at UC’s 58th annual DAAPworks
Fashion Show.  He received an Outstanding DAAP Alumnus award for his contribution to the fashion industry.

As Meister works to keep his finger on the pulse of the ever-changing fashion industry, his business continued to grow.  He just launched David Meister Signature, a line of gowns and cocktail dresses exclusively sold at Bergdorf Goodman. 

His business is also in the works to finalize a bridal license and is looking into bags, fragrance, shoes and swimwear.  He certainly has a lot going on right now, but embraces the ebbs and flows of the business.

“You never know what is going to happen [in this business],” Meister said. “So I am always open.”

What little free time Meister does have, he shares with his partner of 15 years, Alan Siegel.  The two were married last September in Los Angeles, where they share a home.  They have what Meister described as a “fabulous 1970s home” in Palm Springs, Calif.  When their schedules permit, Meister said they love to travel and they just returned from a trip to Istanbul, Tel Aviv, Ibiza and Madrid.

Between working in Los Angeles, traveling and dressing stars for the red carpet, Meister is a busy man, to say the least.  As for how he will enjoy his short time back home? 

“I am looking forward to grabbing some Graeter’s on Fountain Square,” he said.