PDW Tyler Challenge....ahhhhhh yes....

Let me first state that, as an artist playing along in the “At Home” challenge I can empathies with these designers 100%. The premise of this challenge was to create a full skirt ball gown with an oversize print or design on the fabric and with the addition of one oversize element. The “TWIST” was to use cotton.....ugh...cotton.... well anyone who sews for fashion dolls more than likely feel as I do ... and I hate cotton.

While I worked on my own design I realized that this challenge lends it self easily to a Fantasy look. So I was not surprised this morning to find that a lot of the designer’s fashions did have a very fanciful feeling. So when I make that statement it is not meant in a bad way it is just the nature of the challenge.

http://www.projectdollway.com/Tonner%20Challenge%20Runway.html

My top 3 picks this challenge were Brenda, Kimberly and Magia 2000.... to me these 3 designers embraced the essence of the challenge..

Kimberly had the most unique and amazing design I think so far in project! WOW... I was instantly blown away with the whole concept. The pattern of the fabric was soft and subtle but defiantly over scale. The gowns design was wonderful a long bubble skirt and executed perfectly! But it was that bow that really caught my attention, the perfect detail placement was perfect and the color was just right. Every view of this design is lovely.

Brenda, this was her best yet while she usually makes my heart stop with those wonderful accessories this time she was DEAD on with her fashion too. The over scale geometric stripe was dazzling and how she cut and placed the pattern on the skirt made it dance. It seemed to have a movement on its own. The velvet top was exactly right on too and I love that neck line. Oh so clever is the Over size element of the wrap. I adore the Asian “Twist” paper chain idea. Cute cute cute......

Always a winner is Magia 2000 these guys have their hand on the heart beat of what collectors like. This fashion is perfect in every way while most of the designer in the challenge had a somewhat fantasy feeling about their design Mario and Gianni’s design is still realistic looking. The skirt falls perfectly, you would NEVER guess this was cotton. Just lovely.... and I LOVE love love that black bow on the back... with out skipping a beat that bow totally fits into this design with out looking like an after thought .

My vote is still out on this one but one of these 3. mostly because they executed perfect designs with in the parameters of the challenge. Hard choice here for me.

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Now my bottom 3... ugh... sorry guys.. there were some clear misses for me. Even thought I believe even in my own “AT Home” design mine and a lot of these designer faced the issue of their design looking like fantasy... and nothing is wrong with that.. real women are not likely to wear this stuff any way. But a few designers did not “PLAY” well in the over scale concept!

These 3 designers were Andrea, Brandon and Leigh. Let me say here that I am in no way bashing any of these designers I have the up most respect of them as designer and for the accomplishment they have made in this project. I hope that my critique is beneficial and is taken it with the spirit of constructiveness.

Andrea is usually one of my favorites but I feel like the pattern she choose was way tooo busy... far to fussy .. (In my field, interior design I like for my rooms to have a flow and movement yet have a place for the “Eye to Rest”) The same is true of anything in the design arena.. The eye must have a place to rest if the design is too busy then you can not appreciate the fashion. In Andréa’s case she had some wonderful ideas.. The cut out flowers on the bodice sleeves were fab and the way she centered the floral pattern on the bodice starts out great. ...but BAM... once my eye goes to the skirt I am overwhelmed with pattern. To me the pattern choice here is just tooo overwhelming..some good ideas in the design Editing would have helped but very “fairy princess in the woods” theme to me.

Another miss for me is Brandon. The color on this gown is nice but the execution is rough .While I adored Magia’s bow on the back this one was just not there. Even working in OVER scale the size still should have a good relation to the gown and yours was too big. The black ruffle on the bodice was unnecessary.. Again editing...I think this whole finial look of this gown would have come off 100xs better without this element. The ruffle totally competes with the pattern in the gown.

Lastly Leigh,.... totally off base. Seemed to me he simply made a white gown and stuck on an appliqué which had NO relation to the gown at all. The train is silly to me, I am thinking it is the Over size element and not expected but not good. I can not see much of the jewelry but looks like he picked up the colors of the appliqué. I think if this necklace had been his over size element it could have saved the day. By using a really colorful and over size necklace this would have tied the white gown and appliqué together in a much more appealing way. All of the design interest was on the floor... if the color and scale had been brought up in jewelry it could have made he gown more interesting.

The other designers who fell I the middle for me were all wonderful but for a number of reasons I felt were not as brilliant as my top 3.

I am afraid we will have to say good-bye to Jose’ nice design but clearly not the winner.. Again too much pattern for the design of the gown... For a large scale print to work well the gown design needs to be simple.. and there was just too much pattern on this dress. to effectively make the design (which was great) work ... it looked choppy

One of my favorite designers is Judith. I am one of her biggest fans. She did not disappoint me! Sooo adorable... again fantasy like. You had me at hello (to borrow the words of Michael Kors on PW). That bodice is fabulous and fits to perfection . Love the neck line and the butterfly appliqué is flawless. The way the bodice joins the dress is so cute. The large poke-a-dots were a delightful choice as well as the color scheme BRW... you never can go wrong using those colors for a really graphic effect. The accessories looked very appropriate for the fantasy feeling of the design as well. My only negative comment is that white appliqué... what is it? That stumbled my mind ... sorry. Over all really well done always perfect fit and execution... I really admire that... to me fit and execution are maybe the most important and Judith always does an impeccable job.

Debbie is also one of my favorite designers in this competition. She had an adorable gown this challenge, which also fell right into that fantasy feeling. I loved the bold horizontal stripes at the hem... and the bodice was nice bringing up the reverse concept of white w/ black. A lot of interesting detail, maybe too much.. Again editing could have been good here. The buttons on the skirt seemed unnecessary. And I am sorry to say.. in the concept of a “Ball gown” the cuffs were too much, looked cute with the jacket. But they were distracting with out it. As a matter of fact this was a beautiful gown and did not need that jacket at all.

That just leaves Karen...This was a well executed gown as well. I don’t know what "cotton lawn" is (From her blog) but what ever it is beautiful fabric. The problem I had with this design is only that I feel like it did not follow the challenge out line. To me a ball gown is not something that has caprice pants under it and I feel like print was hedging on OK for the scale of the doll. I think these are things that you may have lost points on the grand scheme of things. All that said ...WOW.. I really did like the overall finished product.... so smart and fresh. This dress will defiantly sell well ... easily. Well made and fit is wonderful it has a broad appeal. The hat was unique and fanciful and I liked that it provided a big punch of color. The belt was a good choice too. Over all well edited and a gorgeous garment

Once again Thank you TED for bringing us this entertaining and fun project... well done!!!