OUTscene NW: RE-view: Project Red Dress was a Runway Hit!

by Eddie Walker

Outscene NW

Hats off to Eduardo Khawam. He Directed the 4^th Annual Project Red Dress Fashion Show on Feb. 3, 2012 at the Fairmount Olympic Hotel in Seattle, and it was truly a stellar event. Produced by Monir Zandghoreishi. There was music by Conductor Geoffrey Larson with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra. Jim Dever hosted the event, and he was charming as ever. And there was some fashion creations there to die for, but I’ll get to that in a minute.

Project Red Dress is Seattle’s annual fashion event that’s held to raise money for the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. The designers are local student who are given $200 for red fabric and 16 hours to produce a red dress. The winner is awarded a scholarship.

The top five dresses were all well made and sellable. However, they were all dresses I’ve seen before. But when you think they only had 16 hours to produce these high quality garment from scratch, then I have to give them snaps. What impressed me was dresses that were different, and me me feel a way I’ve never felt before.

The following are the designers, and my take on their creation.

Dress #1 - This two-toned red backless dress has decent ruching, but reminded me of a bad prom dress.

Dress #2 - This victorian style red dress had a very nice silhouette and interesting details, but the dress didn’t move. I like a dress to do something. Nevertheless, the look was well executed, but I was not impressed.

Dress #3 - This was a classic off-the-shoulder bow top gown. I loved the wine red color, and the look was executed perfectly. The dress won best in show, and it definitely deserved to win.

Dress #4 - This dress won the People’s Choice Award. It was an easy breezy dress. The floating cape gave the dress a whimsical feel, but overall I was not impressed.

Dress #5 - I loved this dress, but it’s a young dress that no one over 30 should wear. I loved the corset lines in the back, and the heart shaped front. I even loved the skirt, until I saw the pom-poms. Then it reminded me of a bad poodle skirt. That being said, it still made it into the Top Five.

Dress #6 - I hated this dress. It had way too much sequence, and the proportions were off.

Dress #7 - This was my favorite when I first saw the dress. It was the peek-a-boo shoulder pads that got me. But when I looked at everything below the shoulder, it was just a silk nightie. If this designer could have incorporated the elements in the should pads into the the entire dress, I think it could have been a show stopper. This dress was done in silk, so it’s possible the designer didn’t have enough fabric. Silk is expensive.

Dress #8 - This was not a flattering dress. There’s no neckline. I think this is second to the worst dress that came down the runway.

Dress #9 - This one look s like an unfinished sheaf dress. I hat the shredded bottom. The best part of this dress is the laser cut out of a petal near the heart. This dress is third to the worst dress of the night.

Dress #10 - This was a well made strapless grecian gown. The ruching at the bosom is perfect. Yet again, this is a dress I’ve seen before.

Dress #11 - This dress was a hot mess. It was a hodgepodge of everything, and anything.

Dress #12 - From the knee up the dress is flawless. I loved the asymmetry of the purple band along the dress. The fishtail bottom is what killed the dress for me. The bottom was just not necessary.