On Bravo’s Project Runway, contestants took cameras to New York Botanical Garden, where they shot photos as inspiration for evening gowns for their models.
Heidi Gunn asked the Runway Monday contestants to do likewise. Here’s the photo I chose, from a field trip I took last year in Houston.
First, I immediately dispensed with the notion of using the flowers. Since pink is not Summer’s best color, I made her the flower. I wanted her to appear to delicately emerge from the light on the water and the shape of the leaves, so those are the things I incorporated into my design. I used green silk for the strapless sheath dress and glitter-dotted organza for the overskirt.
The shape of the bodice in the back mimics the curves of the leaves.
Likewise, the curves of the bodice over the bust evoke the leaves against the glittering water.
And finally, the shoes are embellished with an aqua/mint green.
You can see Timothy’s design for Nikki here, and Mark G. Harris’s design for Figaro here. Monday, you can read what the judges have to say about the designs in Heidi Gunn’s comments. Feel free to share your own thoughts about the designs in comments to any of these posts.
Also, a note from Heidi Gunn to our Runway followers:
Time is running out for you to vote for Fan Favorite. Between now and October 7, vote for the contestant you loved most. The designer who receives the most votes will win a fabulous surprise. How do you vote? Just send an e-mail to ljrunway@gmail.com and let us know who your favorite designer is, and why. One vote per person, please!
Finally, if you’re interested in my previous designs:
Week 11: I Got the Music in Me Winner: Me!
Week 10: Working Girl Winner: Tim
Week 9: Here’s Your Sign Winner: Me!
Week 8: A Foreign Affair Winner: Mark
Week 7: Drive It or Wear It Winner: Tim
Week 6: It’s a Drag! Winner: Me!
Week 5: Lipstick Jungle Winner: Mark
Week 4: Olympic Gold Winner: Tim
Week 3: New Orleans Inspiration Winner: Mark
Week 2: Going Green Winner: Me!
Week 1: Grocery Store Winner: Tim
This design is lovely…
Sooooo pretty!
I love the glittered organza.
Very elegant.
It would be divine in my size for when I attend a ball later on this month!
Really beautiful, Becky.
🙂
Thanks! If you and Summer were the same size, I’m sure she’d happily loan it to you.
I LOVE that color Becky. You captured it perfectly. The back of the bodice is exquisite. and of course, the shoes…always with the shoes!!
Thank you. I can never not do shoes now–I feel like it would disappoint the LEGIONS of Summer fans. 😉
BEAUTIFUL! What a gorgeous color. And Summer looks fantastic in it, a vision of loveliness. Great job, Becky.
PS – I love the “on location” photo shoot!
Thank you. =) I took her outside because it was really hard to make that glitter show up without just turning into white dots with a flash. But trust me, shooting with the D40 is SO much better than shooting with the Kodak point-and-shoot.
Having dressed Summer on a couple of occasions, I have to bow to your genius in always finding the correct and devastating color for her– it’s harder than people might realize! Were these real-life businesses we were running, you’d have a loyal clientele since you put them first, and know how to flatter. She looks breathtaking.
I want very badly to wish you and Timothy luck, but I think I might need it myself this week. : )
Thank you. I think we’ve all figured out the color combinations that work (and don’t!) with each of these dolls. It was so interesting to have all of them together and put the same fabrics against them and see how something that looked great on one looked horrendous on another.
Win! Captures the theme photo and flower, beautiful from every direction, shoes included!
[Monet says “Hey.” ;D ]
Edit — I forgot, the back of the bodice: exquisite! She looks like a water nymph…
Thank you so much. I wish I’d thought of “water nymph” in the middle of the night when I was trying to describe this dress. =)
Hey, Monet! Heh.
I was first reminded of Cinderella’s ballgown. Then I was reminded I had a meeting at noon. Be back later.
Ha ha.
You’re so clever… the colour is beautiful and I LOVE the shoes!!!
Thank you kindly. =)
It’s beautiful! Love the shoes and the back of the gown especially.
Is the overskirt removable? (even though I’m not a judge this week.)
Thank you!
No, it’s not removable. Unless that counts against me with the judges. Then I can rip that sucker off and attach it with snaps. 😉