Catwalk 2020

A detailed look into my winning design of my school's fashion show competition

My high school offers a 7 week program called Catwalk, where 15 girls create an ensemble inspired by a theme, and have the ultimate showdown on the runway. This past year was my first time participating in Catwalk, and my only regret is that I didn't start it sooner. And the theme could not have been better.

Killer Camp

When most people hear the word "Camp," it's likely that they'll associate it with smores, wood cabins, and twigs snapping in the dead of night. However, the fashion community associates "Camp" with the 2019 Met Gala theme. Camp is inspired by Susan Sontag's book, "Camp: Notes on Fashion", where she describes Camp as an aesthetic style that is appealing because of its bad taste, outrageousness, and theatricality. Here are a few pictures from the 2019 Met Gala that I think exemplify the idea of "Camp."

How I created my design

Once the theme was announced, I did my research on Camp. I knew that if I had a shot of winning, I needed to understand the complexity of it to make sure my design was not only on theme, but far more unique than the rest of my competitors. As I researched fashion icons, I remembered my favorite childhood villain, Ms. Cruella DeVil; the embodiment of Camp, thanks to her larger-than-life personality and demonic nature (hence DeVil=devil). Cruella is one of the most notorious Disney characters, known for her love of elaborate furs (especially ones made from dalmatian puppies). Her character brought to life the theatrical element of Camp to my piece, and the ridiculously oversized coat made from "puppies" is loud and ironic.

Before the competition begins, the group takes a trip to Joann fabric store with a set budget and a design in mind. I knew I needed fur for the coat, red fabric for the lining, and black and white fabric for the dress. I narrowly afforded all my materials, and after some extreme couponing, the competition was underway.

With only 14 two hour sessions, and an ambitious design to create, I started immediately.

I had a lot of difficulty in the beginning, as I had only sewed a pillow before and didn't even know what a pattern was. Slowly but surely I remembered the skills I learned in my 8th grade sewing class, and with a little help from the volunteer seamstresses, my vision for this piece became a reality.

At the end of the 7 weeks, my ensemble had come together better than I could've ever dreamed of. The fur coat with the red lining looked luxurious and worthy of Cruella herself. The intricate slit design on the dress gave the old Cruella a modern touch that wasn't there before.

But nothing was better than seeing my model wearing my design on the runway. In addition to the outfit, my model carried a dalmatian stuffed animal, and a fake puff cigarette. When she blew out the smoke, there was an audible gasp throughout the audience, the exact effect I had wished for. On that day, Cruella truly came to life on that stage, which is something I had never imagined possible as a first year designer.

And that is why my heart stopped when I heard my name announced as the winner. Never in a million years did I think I had a chance of winning, but there I was on stage, accepting my prize. I was up against girls who were going to fashion school for their post-graduate plans, and I still managed to come out on top.

I learned then that it was never too late to start a new hobby or take your life in a different direction, which is a lesson I will carry with me for the rest of my life.