Saint Louis Fashion Week: Project Design Competition
Friday, 3. April 2009, 18:10:05
by Dr. Malaika Horne
Photos by Dan Elavsky
March 26, 2009
Videos & more photos of these runway shows can be seen at: http://culturesurfer.com/fashion.html
A new kind of fashion energy is emerging in St. Louis, some are quirky, some trendsetting and others just down right beautiful. Wedbnesday evening, March 24 at the Lumiere Place Hotel on the Landing, a jammed packed energetic sold-out crowd of mostly 20- and 30-somethings viewed youthful, edgy and modern clothes by the city’s up-and-coming fashion avant-guard. Jerrell Scott, a designer featured on the show Project Runway kicked off fashion week by emceeing the program and presenting his ’09 fall/winter collection. He is also on the cover of Alive magazine, looking like he’s already arrived.
The seven designers who showed their work were all talented, but obviously some were more so than others. They were competing for a first-place prize to help boost their design careers. Prizes represented thousands of dollars for a photo shoot, website, MAC cosmetics and more. A team of judges, including Scott, declared the winner to be The Exquisite Corpse by Michael Drummond. He was clearly a cut above the rest, no play on words intended.
The Exquisite Corpse by Michael DrummondI also selected this collection as the one to win. First, the clothes were well made. Many were from recycled materials, another plus in these eco-centric/environmental times. Soft subdued colors gave it an understated yet modern feel. There were no duds and many hits. The scarlet silk chiffon empire waist baby doll with hidden crystals was darling. The lavender recycled cotton and plastic top, off-white ripped detail mohair knit pencil skirt was über-modern. The burnt sienna recycled knit tube dress, bronze knit silk skirt, empire waistline in black silk chiffon was masterfully done. There were other great ones, too. The collection clearly stood out. It was fresh, sensible and sophisticated. Makeup as well as hair, long and crimped, were striking.
LK by Laura Kathleen PlanckLK showed slinky jersey gowns and other evening wear featuring a bird motif, that is, models’ hair was beautifully done to look like a bird’s nest with feathers and feathers were on some of the clothes. Some of the models were carrying birdcages, though empty; they were probably supposed to be evening bags. My favorite was the bluebird-light blue silk taffeta circle mini dress with the gold brooch. However, the models seemed to have difficulty walking in heels that seemed way too high. Some clothes were fashion forward, but the collection was uneven.
Michael Shead Est. 1987 by Michael SheadMichael Shead seems to be the quintessential designer. He came out at the end with somewhat John Galliano style theatrics to whip up more enthusiasm for his collection. But it needed some help. The shorter dresses seemed ill fitting. The velvet “str8” leg pants were uninspiring. On a more positive note, the blue chiffon slightly see-through top with the carnation-looking flowers covering each breast of the braless model was exquisite. The gold lame jacket was very innovative, receiving spontaneous applause. The Mary yellow silk gown was divine. The models were having a hard time walking in the shoes, all by Baker Footwear. The shoes were gorgeous and fashionable. But one wonders how comfortable they are.
Jennifer NealThis collection brought to mind several images: galactic, techno, grunge even vampirish. Perhaps that was the problem: poor execution and lack of a unified idea. The tops did not seem to be sewn well; as one knows, a poorly sewn outfit will ruin any look no matter how masterful the design. The black leather asymmetrical circular skirt, leather booty shorts and deep armhole T looked thrown together nor did it look comfortable especially when sitting. The most effective was the full body unitard with hood, zipper front with bloused waist. The models look sad and tired. The male models, pasty and unbuffed, wore tops that showed their worst features.
Shankeithclothing by Shan KeithPurple was au courant in this collection. There were other colors too, including brown and green and white. The purple floral dress was very perky and the model seemed like she enjoyed wearing it. The floor length green floral print dress seemed to float down the runaway; it was the hit of the collection. But the line also lacked a coherent theme. The black fur cocktail dress, the purple cardigan worn by a male model, the half white/half polka dot dress with fur vest pouch while all exemplifying unique creativity, it would have been more pulled together if the designer had scaled back these varying designs a bit more.
Socialite by Veronica ArielThe strengths of this collection are the colors, particularly the teals. They were very refreshing, perhaps even bringing to mind the hues of the ocean. Nature and going green are the all the rage but more than that, most of the clothes worked. Perhaps teal is the new black. The taupe jump suit was also a beautiful color. The model worked it too. Plus, her clothes were well made. The gold trench coat was a knock out. From the positive response of the audience, I think a lot women there envisioned themselves busting into a party with that bouncy trench coat; she would definitely dominate the scene. The swimsuits were cute, too. These clothes are definitely designed to sell.
Jerrell Scott DesignJerrell Scott did double-duty for this show, the emcee as well as presenting his collection. He’s a very likeable person and though he mispronounced a few names he did it with aplomb. But more importantly, he’s extremely talented. The craftsmanship, colors, prints and appliqués are reminiscent of many of the classic Parisian designers – think Jean Paul Gaultier. The recurring theme seemed Peruvian. Many of the models wore the traditional headwear of that Latin American country, the knit cap, though gussied up with large tassels and brighter colors. Scott likes tassels even on the hoodie the male model was wearing. But also beads, feathers and baubles were prominently featured. I loved everything in his line. Much of it he described as ethnic but a few pieces while nice did not seem to fit, like the tunic won by a male model. Scott obviously pays a lot of attention to details. The black-beaded hand-sewn finale gown took more than 130 hours of work. The pink and orange tie dyed dress with bead stitching was eye popping. Unfortunately, a beautiful ostrich feather mini dress was too big on top for the model’s very thin body. Still, the collection was an opulent and regal, revealing his ability to not only get on Project Runway but also remain there so long. Regrettably, he didn’t win. But his work seems to rival any of the winners of that show.
WIDGETIZE