Marcury Rising
Designer: Judy Gross
Every year Threads sponsors a design challenge to the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. The 2008 winners were announced in the April/May 2009 issue (#142) with photographs and descriptions of the designs the judges deemed best. Here are photographs of some of the finalists. We asked the designers to demonstrate their mastery of fluid fabrics, such as charmeuse, chiffon, and silk knits.
Flowing Colors with a Signature
Designer: Anca Balinisteanu
Oceans Green
Designer: Robin Bolton
Black Trim and Animal Print: Detail
Black Trim and Animal Print
Designer: Beki Biesterfelt
Spiral Pinwheel: Detail
Spiral Pinwheel
Designer: Julianne Bramson
Spiral Dress—In Contrast
Designer: Melanie Carrico
Erté Je T’aime
Designer: Rae Cumbie
Mercury Rising
Designer: Judy Gross
Shooting Star Trails
Designer: Susan Landerking
Shooting Star Trails: Detail
Bias Swirl
Designer: Denise Severson
Peace, Love, and Blessing
Designer: Janie Stidham
Smokey Grey: Detail
Smokey Grey
Designer: Angela Wolf
Chiffon/Beaded Tulle Dress
Designer: Ann Vidovic
Runway photos: James Keller; other photos by the designers
Mercury Rising is the most elegant gown I have ever seen! It appears to be spun of liquid silver! I cannot imagine a more lovely perfect example of fluid fabric artistry! Mary
I agree with Mary, that dress is wonderful, the simple elegance in that fabric is a perfect match Barb
Mercury Rising is absolutely stunning, almost other wordly. This gown should be on the red carpet but it would surely outshine the wearer.
These are absolutely beautiful. I would like to see a front photo of Janie Stidham's dress. Gosh it would be nice if the photos were higher resolution. It would be nice to be able to see realy clear details. Thanks for all the hard work that went into this.
Looking at all the beautiful designs is an inspiration, but Mercury Rising is stunning. It has a moonlight etheral look that is something else!
Mercury Rising is gorgeous and reminded me of the other magnifiscent dress from the collection at westernCostume Company in the last page od Threads Magazine issue 142.
Love also the text under Up Close....could you please kindly tell me were is this text taken from? its so appropiated for exquisite and gorgeous Mercury Rising as well as the dress from the Western Costume Collection shown in this issue.
Congratulations to all the designers, each and everyone of the creations are special and must be aplauded for its creativity.
Mercury Rising looks great from the front, but I'm not as excited about the gathers/ruching on the back. I would have said a clean back would accentuate the gorgeous front better.
Oceans Green appeals to me, too, but I suspect it's at least as much the choice of colors as the design, and spiral pinwheel looks like a great dress for actually wearing somewhere (as much as I like mercury rising, it's far too fancy for anywhere I go. I agree with soxfan that it should be on the red carpet).
Well done Angela...........love "smokey blue"
Clever the way the way the woven strips are pulled to shape the bust.
Beautiful jacket which goes so well with the peplem of the top.
Gorgeous colours.
All dresses amazing ........but I'll just mention "Erte je T'aime", "Shooting star trail" and "bias swirl"
love "Mercury Rising!"
I really liked Smokey Grey with the strips. How did these strips sewn by hand?