Drum Roll Please...

By Alexandra Gilmore

The first ever Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge presented by The Sacramento Film & Music Festival and created by the Capitol Indie Collective may be over, but it made an impression that still has people talking. The designs were modeled on the runway on opening night of the festival and the winners were announced this past Saturday at the Crest Theatre. The competition was fierce as each participant brought their own style to their finished look and everyone’s design was crafted with care and excellence. Although everyone deserved to be a winner, votes were cast and points tallied up to result in a top five, audience choice winner, and video blog winner. They were…

FIFTH PLACE

Lacey Taylor has been sewing since high school. Currently, she attends California State University Sacramento for Apparel Marketing and Design and will be graduating in the fall. Tim Burton movies are the inspiration for this piece. It is a combination of gothic and historic costumes and plays with a variety of textures. Our model, Madison is a senior at Pleasant Grove high school and is an aspiring college soccer player. Her hair was done by Chelsea Hockenberry whom Lacey met through friend, and competitor, Samantha. Aspiring to be in the fashion industry since a young age, at 17, Darian is already an accomplished MUA, photographer, and model. She is not your average girl, with punky pink hair and a quirky personality to match!

Lacey’s design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

FOURTH PLACE

Natass'ja Price is a designer and fashion student at IADT, Jessica Fontes is the MUA/Hairstylist, and Yuri Tajiri is the fabulous model. The inspiration for this design was the Japanese style Harajuku, it instantly made since to me to use a style that is so unconventional for an unconventional challenge. When I thought of which red carpet event would look great for this type of style I immediately thought of the Grammy's, where the weird and bizarre is cool for just one night.

Natass’ja’s design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

THIRD PLACE

Edward John Radanovich III created this design; modeled by Khayla Jones; with hair and makeup done by Angela Aragon. The House of Radanovich represents sophistication, elegance, sexiness, and seductiveness. It takes time and attention to get through the Sacramento Bee and the House of Radanovich wanted to represent that in this design which can also be referred to as an artistic collage.

Edward received 25% a one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective, an eighth page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a certification to Lliy Koi Salon, and his design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at Urban Hive.

SECOND PLACE/VIDEO BLOG WINNER

Jesus Medrano is a local freelance designer. He started his fashion career early in 2008 attending American River College where he was awarded for the Most Marketable Evening Wear. With an internship at local Couture boutique and various charity fashion shows, Jesus has polished his craft and is currently working on his Spring 2012 collection which he plans to debut this fall. The Dress is inspired by the 1950’s Glamour, it plays with the era's romance and it sends an invitation back in time.

Jesus received 50% off a one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective, a sixth page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a certificate to Lily Koi Salon, and his design will be displayed in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at the Urban Hive. For the video blog award he also received a free one year membership to the Capitol Indie Collective.

Video blog link:

FIRST PLACE/AUDIENCE CHOICE WINNER

Melinda Carrie’s dress was inspired by the dramatic floral trend in bridal and takes this soft feminine look and makes it edgy with harsh pleats and a pop of red. The flowers and vines crawl up the skirt in an organic pattern while the look is completed with a fitted bodice, belted with the Sacramento Bee title header. Modeling the gown is Miss Teen Sacramento, Michelle Parker; Hair and Makeup by Liz Guillot; and Melinda Carrie’s longtime faithful assistant Joanna Durkee. Using her Bachelor’s degree in fashion, Melinda Carrie is currently the assistant designer at Miosa Bride, while pursuing her own line.

Melinda received a mentorship session with Robbie Jeffers, fashion designer/marketer/rep for such brand names as Stussy, Nike, Zoo York, Barracuda, Heel Bruise, Oakley, and more, presented by the Capitol Indie Collective. She also receives a quarter page ad placement in the Sacramento Bee, a $250 dollar Visa gift card from the Capitol Indie Collective, a certificate from Lily Koi Salon, and display of her design in the Sacramento Bee lobby and later at the Urban Hive. As the audience choice winner she received a gift package from Hot Italian, including gift card, tee shirt, and bottle of wine.

Although the above may be the winners, all the designs were worth showing off because so much energy went into them. The designers took time away from their lives to participate and their efforts should be seen.

John Thao comes from a family of eleven children and is the third youngest child in the family. He studies fashion design at International Academy of Design and Technology Sacramento. He grew to have a passion for fashion design since the age of sixteen. He loves to create and wonder off with my crazy ideas and make it to life. His goal is to become a couture artist, the first one in my nationality as a Hmong person. His inspiration comes from everywhere and He draws many elements as he travels and researches online. He is aiming for the new look of the future, that would be his dream come true.

Rachel Goldmark-Lewis is a 25 year old budding fashion designer. Challenged everyday with chronic Lyme disease, she decided to follow her passion for fashion and channel her frustration from her illness into something beautiful. Motivated and inspired by her lifelong coping tool of creative expression, she enrolled in the International Academy for design and technology, where she will receive her Bachelors in Fashion Design and Merchandising in a few short years. She plans on making a name for herself after graduation and hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams. Carina Lampkin struts the catwalk in an original Goldmark Design inspired by the movie, The Newsies. The shorts are made from the classified ads to represent the troubles in the 20’s as well as today. The vest is then made of comic strips to remind us to not take life too seriously. Make-up and hair done by Terri Wangler.

Jennifer Nodora

Samantha Rachele’s design is feathers and taxidermy incarnated. A sweet little bird but with a twist…. she’s stuffed and mounted with her last innocent repose immortalized. Designed and constructed by Samantha Rachele, hair designed by Chelsea Hockenberry, and modeled by Kristina Lindeberg.

Diana Santibanez

Overall, everyone did a tremendous job and we hope that the turnout and results are just as good if not better next year. Thank you again to everyone who participated and helped with this event, you all MADE IT WORK!