Is there hope among emerging St. Louis fashion designers?

After 10 nights of runway shows, St. Louis Fashion Week has ended, and attendees are cautiously optimistic that an up-and-comer from St. Louis will actually make the transition to full-time designer.Fern Mallis, who is responsible for making New York Fashion Week what it is today, came to town as a special guest to present the award during Project: Design!, a talent showcase of emerging designers. Some of the designers were from St. Louis but the contest is open to designers from anywhere. Featured this year were a $10,000 prize package plus a special one-on-one consultation with Mallis.Chiffon Lace Backless Column Long Sleeves bride dressIronically, Mallis, who was not on the judging committee, flew into town from New York and ultimately gave the prize to a designer from New York, including a $2,500 cash award.“I didn’t vote for the winner, but if I had, I would have been torn,” Mallis said. “I was really conflicted.”She was in sync with the judging panel. The winning Miita Collection by Angela Brugioni was decided in a runoff with Q Liu by Qun Liu of St. Louis. Because Brugioni isn’t based in St. Louis, Liu was awarded some local elements of the prize including a year of studio rental.The Miita Collection was cohesive and polished. The color palette was soft with feminine whites and off-whites, but the designs had a sophisticated edge that was aptly on-trend, with athletic influences,chiffon Unique Shoulder Empire Beaded Prom Dresses sheer panels and unexpected textiles. The translucent window-pane raincoats were a hit, and the shimmering sequin looks and tasteful peek-a-boo elements made for a ready-to-wear-now eye-catching collection.Meanwhile, Q Liu was a surprisingly artistic collection that was desirable and admirable but seemed impossible to mass produce. Liu offered a collection of felted dresses that were constructed with three-dimensional patterns. The process of felting incorporates nonwoven fabric, in this case wool that is matted together by heat, moisture and pressure.

Anyone who appreciates the structure of clothing would have been astounded by the fact that her swingy sleeveless dresses and jackets, some of which included pockets,brown chiffon High-Neck beaded evening dresses were constructed without one seam. Nothing was sewed. And the designs on the front of her garments were also created by felting.“It was incredible. I was like what do you mean water, this is like pizza dough, you’re spreading out wool and water and making a dress,” Mallis said. “It’s so completely original, but at the end of the day, how do you make that commercial?”Liu created wearable art that could be appreciated by fashion connoisseurs and people who just appreciate something cute and easy to wear.But because the process to create the garments is so labor intensive and specialized, the starting price point of $500 is a bit high for broad appeal. And the washing instructions for felt are a little tricky.And that’s the conundrum of crowning the most deserving emerging designer. Do you pick someone with an accessible, sellable aesthetic or do you invest in someone doing something innovative? If a fashion contest doesn’t celebrate someone who pushes boundaries, is it doing a disservice to the design community?Mallis shrugged and said she saw the issue from both sides. She appreciates and celebrates the artistry of runway collections that aren’t intended to be mass produced,2013 Wholesale Cheap Bride Dresses but …“At the end of the day, you sell or you die,” Mallis said.High-grade One Shoulder A-line Chiffon Beaded Prom Dress “Fashion is not art; you are making clothes, and people have to buy those clothes to wear.”And though she saw the appeal of Liu’s collection, she saw the practicality of the Miita Collection. That doesn’t mean Liu can’t be viable; it just means that it may be harder.“Designers really have to decide what they want to be,” Mallis said. “Do they want to go into business or do they want to be artists?”