15 May 2009

Last night, we saw Episode 2 of The Fashion Show.  The challenge was to design a classy look for socialite Tinsley Mortimer with only $40 and 12 hours at the sewing machine.  I watched the show on the giant projector screen wall at Norwood this week and was pleasantly surprised to see well my 3-layered cocktail dress looked on TV.  

I didn’t realize how odd our team’s concept of “stealth fighter” seemed to everyone else. It’s actually not that out of line with what most designers come up with as inspiration.  After all, I was inspired by military warfare for the 3-D skirt in my Spring 2007 collection.  

My asymmetrical black taffeta dress came with black and pink tulle overlays and a satin origami belt (with paper airplanes).  

The 3-layered number could be worn three different ways:  1) on its own as a black dress, 2) with a black overlay for more coverage, or 3) with a pink overlay for a hint of color.  Tinsley really got her 40 bucks worth in that one. 

What amazes me is that no one seems to be surprised that all those runway look were made in 12 hours — yes, 12 HOURS!  The pattern, the muslin, and the sewn sample are all done in less than two days for each of these challenges. I hope the general public does not assume that whipping dresses up so quickly is the norm.  It is actually very close to impossible. We are like super-human seamstresses in this show!  

Just to put some things into perspective here…the turnover rate for a dress at a midtown factory is 2 weeks.  And that’s with professional patternmakers and samplemakers with 20 years of experience.  12 hours vs. 2 weeks is a huge difference, no?  

Well, I hope that viewers like my dress and vote for me here on the Bravo website.   Also, text 83733 to the word on my necklace (WACKY or STEALTH) to see what happens.  It will tell you the location of a group show I am in tomorrow in Brooklyn.