Runway Monday: The Ultimate Hard and Soft (PR 11:4)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were presented with a combination of two challenges. They had to create a look that was both hard and soft, this time using unconventional materials from a hardware store and a flower shop. Since the show seemed to think the flower shop provided the soft look, I went the opposite direction. For Model Muse Laura Lee, I picked my soft look from Southland Hardware, and my edgier material from the floral department of Michael’s.


Artificial Spanish moss with raffia string. (For those who’ve been following along since 2008, the second PR challenge I ever did used raffia as an embellishment, to the shock of one of my competitors).

Here’s the look I created this week for Laura Lee.


I used the blue string to sew fabric for a dress. The flared skirt is created from the gray moss embellished with crystal beads in two shades of blue.

A closer look at the strapless dress.

The shoes are from Mattel; the stockings are from a material I had in the workroom.

A final closeup of the bottom of the dress.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my avant-garde take on the unconventional materials challenge. See you next time on the runway!

The blue beads were donated by Timothy J. Lambert.

To see previous designs from this season:

Episode 3: Surprise Me
Episode 2: Spin Out
Episode 1: There Is No I In Team

6 thoughts on “Runway Monday: The Ultimate Hard and Soft (PR 11:4)”

  1. DC Metrorail’s automated voice warns, “doors closing!” The crowded train begins to depart the platform.

    It was a Friday night, and Britney Spears just stole a dress. She was desperate for something new, but she didn’t read the label about avoiding crowded places. She was running around with pruning scissors screaming, “I’m late! I’m late for a hot important date!”

    A crowded rail car screams as the seemingly artificial Spanish Moss crawls outward. At first, it was slowly creeping to a small girl that kept staring, that is, until Moss poked her eyes out. The shrieks that followed only energized Moss to cover more ground. By the time the rail car entered the dark tunnel, Moss had engulfed the child, entangled her Manny and pierced through one passenger for not offering his seat to the old lady a branch was now supporting because Moss just flung away her walker into another passenger’s head that was desperate to push the Talk-to-the-Driver button. Twelve seconds later, Moss ate the entire car’s contents, broke out the impregnable doors and derailed the train, only to consume the contents of the remaining cars.

    (Now, there’s something one doesn’t see on CNN, LOL ;). )

    Seriously though, I liked the ferocious look.

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