Design Mix 2008

So there's this nasty little rumor going around that I designed a dress. . . well, to put this straight, it's true. And to top it off, it won an award. This is a bit of a departure from what I typically put up on this blog, but it is the best way to share with everyone who's not on facebook.

Design Mix is a fashion show where architects and interior designers are paired with manufacturing companies to design fashion using the manufacturers products. We were paired with Kimball Office Solutions and were able to use several of their upholstery lines. Fabric is definitely easier than tile or lighting cables or some of the other products firms were working with.

This is the sketch I produced for my concept. I hadn't prepared anything the day that our firm got together for a design charette, but I sketched while everyone was talking. The basic concept was to draw on the woman's movement and the recent spotlight on the middle east. The gown represents a woman discovering her inner beauty. The description at the top right was what was read before our model walked. I'm not sure if it is legible so it says:

In a world obsessed over visual stimulation and external beautification, we seek to transform both perception and definition.
Our gown evolves from closed to open to discarded, bulb to blossom to new growth, dominated to unveiled to free.
Whether a woman is required to wear a burkha or has the freedom to don a bikini, her beauty is found much deeper.

The fashion show and party were held at Vizcaya. It reminds me so much of my time in Italy. Through several personal visits and many more while teaching free-hand drawing, I feel like I've sketched the entire grounds.
The Barge at sunset.
The palazzo at night. The runway was parallel to this facade a little off from the building. The majority of the audience sat with their backs to the water and barge facing in this direction.
This is how the dress actually ended up. This was how she walked onto the runway. She held this position until the mc finished with the intro and the music started. She then slowly walked down the runway and "bloomed."
This after she has bloomed.
This is after she has discarded the heavy outer-layer. Freedom.
This is my boss, the head of our interiors department, our sponsors, and Tricia (our model) receiving our award for Most Innovative.
This is the contingent from ADD Inc that came to support our entry.
No, I'm not blushing. That is a serious sunburn from being on the beach for the majority of the day prior to the event.

One last parting shot. Check out more pictures from the event here. It takes a little while to load, but there are some great shots on there and you can check out the competition.