This year's Couture Doll Design Challenge is underway. Entrants are classified as either beginner, intermediate or professional. Judges have been chosen from well known designers in the doll world. There will be prizes for each division and one for overall photography. Points are awarded each entrant and the contestant with the most points wins their category.
The first challenge was as follows:
This challenge is sure to have you running a few laps around the internet to research this up and coming trend. Fashion forecasters have predicted that this year's Spring designs will favour the sporty look but in a couture way. Your first challenge is to design an outfit that has a sporty flair but is definitely in the couture realm. What we are asking here is for couture, not ready to wear, so be careful here to keep your design in the couture realm. Beginners may use a pattern to "design" their outfit. Even when using a pattern, Beginners, the judges will expect you to put your own signature into it. On your marks, get set...GO!!!
Here are the results of Challenge One "Be A Sport!" Which are your favorites?
It appears that at least two people are in the wrong categories. One who is in intermediate should be in professional and one in professional should be in beginner. As far as photography, if I were judging, any doll on a stand or with messy hair would be eliminated immediately.
I was impressed by two entries out of all of them. Quite a few of the entries either didn't follow the challenge or just didn't create anything couture at all.
I was really interested when I heard they were splitting up the contest into three categories, but was really confused by their guidelines to breaking them down. What really confused me the most was their rules on patterns. I've been sewing for about three years (making me intermediate by their standards), but I am still very dependent on patterns. Sure I use them differently than how they're originally designed and adapt my own when needed, but they only wanted beginners using company made patterns. So that ruled me out.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it seems like several people aren't in the right categories. I saw two people I would have moved from intermediate to professional, as well as one from professional that I would have lowered. But I remember reading the bios about the contestants and seeing several people who already seemed in the wrong groups just based on their credentials before even seeing any of their work.
I think they really picked a hard challenge to start off with. So many people have a hard time with couture. I think they should have picked something easier like, "Design your variation on a LBD". That way every designer gets to show off their unique style with something a bit more uniform. But that's my opinion.
I see what you mean. Contestant 11 would get my vote. Contestant 12 was in the spirit of the challenge but not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I feel like almost all of the Professional entries really just disregarded the theme for the most part, or took it at the most vague that they possibly could.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Contestant 8 (although I wish the face mask was more stylish) and Contestant 12, really shine. It's immediately obvious they were thinking about and working with the theme, and the outfits, to me at least, look great in concept!
I think, if you took away the bulky face mask, Contestant 8 would get my vote. I think the white outfit is lovely, and in keeping with the theme.
I can't get the link for the main competition to work. Says 404 on Google Chrome and IE.
ReplyDeleteIn the sports ( really??) category, contestant @8 is my fave design.
This person seems almost to be channeling the late dear Joe Tai with the lines and use of fur around the edges. I was doing a major overhaul of some clothihg last night, and ran across several things from him which are so beautiful.
So, for possibly some senimental reasons and also because I like the all white look, it's #8.
Which ones did you like best, Terri? Come on!!
Amanda
I fixed the link, Amanda. I will post my favorites eventually.
DeleteWow this is amazing. Do the judges get to touch and see the entries in person - do the designers have to send in their entries or is everything done via photos/internet? I imagine a lot of seams could be messy and not "couture" of they don't have to mail in their designs.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is 12 - that is couture all the way. The contest isn't about which one you'd buy and dress your own dollies in, LOL!!
I believe it's all done by emailed images. No direct contact with the products. Most of the entrants are overseas and the judges are mostly Americans.
DeleteI enjoy the sport of Fencing, and think Contestent 8 made a great outfit, it just doesn't photograph as well because its all white.
ReplyDeleteI like 14 best and 21 second. (=
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know how to make 14's dress.
Fun -- thx for posting links to these.
~ib
Wow this is really cool contest!
ReplyDeleteAnd to create a couture look on the sporty theme, is not an easy task, without being a lil' bit literal..
The best Sporty Couture to me are looks are the Swordwoman and what appears to be a parachutist woman.. The Football woman is very cool too.. but the other two are more creative..
I liked contestants 8, 12 and 15, and #22 photos (not the fashion though...)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more!!
Thank you for this post. I have not seen this before. Very fun! I can't make a decision on a favorite. Being a new collector several of them look great to me.
ReplyDelete