Once upon a time there was a little girl. She was smart for her age. When people asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she said: "A marine biologist."
Her family didn't have a lot of money. Her mother knew that they would never be able to afford college tuition for her. But there was always the chance that if she studied hard, she might get a scholarship. So her mother encouraged her passion, and she made a hand-made plush toy for her daughter. She wasn't a particularly skilled seamstress, and the end result was a little... wonky. It wasn't exactly a whale but it wasn't exactly a fish, either. Its eyes were different colours. It was droopy and under-stuffed.
When the mother gave her daughter the plush toy, the daughter was filled with joy and wonder. She took the toy with her everywhere she went. It was her best friend in the whole world.
One day, the daughter went with her aunt and uncle and cousins to an amusement park.
She never came home again.
They never found her body, and they never found the plush toy, either.
They say that if you go to the amusement park -- now abandoned for many, many years -- at night, you might be able to find her.
/
I figured winterstorm was the best match for the water meat plush, so that's what I searched the avatar builder for first. As soon as I saw the carnival background I knew what I wanted to do.
I chose the clothes for Robin's outfit based on two things: looking sort of old-fashioned and also looking childish. Robin's face is already pretty round and pouty, so that works well for a child ghost.
Robin's dark skintone is a little more saturated than you'd expect from a ghost, so I experimented with throwing on filters to try and wash her out as much as possible. I had to choose between a rolling fog and the picture frame. I kind of liked the picture frame better, but it cut off the top of the water meat a little bit and I didn't want to interfere with the subject of the challenge.
So, fun fact... I’ve been out of town for the last several days. And I forgot to check for another round until... Today. Bit dumb of me, but hey, real life is distracting when you’re having fun. And it did leave me with an interesting challenge of “how fast can I come up with something I’m remotely satisfied with?” Considering my usual tendency to play with designs for days just fiddling with the details, just so I’m satisfied I have the best option I can find (honestly, kind of the reason I have a tendency to always be in at the last minute), that was a big challenge.
Story of this one is, as the time crunch would indicate, pretty simple. I was playing around with winterstorm (and related) items because, well... That really is the closest match to that blue. And I put those horns/ears on (since they also come in that scheme), and really liked the way they sort of cradled the water meat. Since Ophelia’s hair made the plushie look more like it was floating above her head then sitting on top, it just sort of helped the look, plus I got this thought in my head of this cute little monster girl who loves plushies. Which immediately became the concept.
I quickly switched away from using the blues, though, for a couple different reasons. One, I saw the other entries using predominantly blue, and felt like I wanted to do something that stood out a bit more. Plus, well... Using such a “samey” color scheme after my last entry seemed like a mistake. And finally, the horns/ears in those blues just didn’t look right on Ophelia. I wanted something that looked like it was part of her, not tacked on. So I looked at the other colors available, and found this black and purple pair the only ones that really looked good to me. I hesitated at first, because it’s an odd color scheme, but ultimately decided to just run with it. After all, one of my favorite things is balancing unrelated color schemes!
The rest just sort of fell into place, with me trying to make her look both as cute as I could and balance the very odd colors I was working with. I decided to go with Saturn purple on the rest of the outfit, despite it not matching the horns exactly, because it seemed close enough and allowed me to easily bring in some orange, which I felt tied the outfit to the water meat a little better. The arms were chosen partially because it hid her mouth, making her look more shy then somber like she normally does (it is still on under there, though!), but mainly because the armfuls of plushies really worked with my concept. I had a different tail in mid, but it didn’t come in the right color at all, so I had to scrap it in favor of something that at least matched. And I added super round glasses more or less on a whim, because I hoped it would make her look even cuter, and brought a little more of those winterstorm colors in even if it’s hard to see.
I’m not entirely sure I like the result. It’s definitely an odd mix of colors I ended up with, and I don’t know if they actually work together or not. But I do feel satisfied with the balance and overall vibe of the look, and think I managed to get my concept across pretty well. And it was really fun to do a cutesy look with Ophelia when she’s normally not very suited for it! Overall, I think it’s not a bad attempt for something I did so much faster then I normally do (and is probably an indication I should stop stressing about it quite so much... Though not to the point of doing something this last minute again!)
elphiethesane
Dabbling Dreamer
Offline
bad wolf bae Captain
Offline
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:54 am
Pianette (Jiang Li) I want to be able to see her dress more. All the details get blended together and lost in the crowded background.
This is just beautiful. The watermeat doesn't super fit in as well as I might like to see, but it is far from bad and mostly blends into the back.
elphiethesane (Ophelia) Happy to see more colors than what is found in the watermeat. The outfit is fine. It's well balanced. Not loving the green tea on her head.
I can't believe you did this in such a short period of time. This looks great, and the addition of other plush animals really helps the watermeat feel like it belongs.
sufjan stebens (Robin) Very clown-like outfit from the big bow and the large sleeves to the striped stockings. Way too much blue. Also, never cover the outfit with background details. This is a competition based on the outfit, not the story.
Love the story you came up with behind the watermeat, though it doesn't really feel connected to Robin. The fog also erases a bit more of her legs than I think it should.
RENstrawberry (Rae) A bit too much blue but the earrings were a great idea.
The color composition and lighting employed here really helped put your entry into the next level. Things are layered well, and has a great sense of movement.
The Dread Wolf (Isabelle) Well balanced but I hate those boot sneakers. Nice choice to focus on the green and orange instead of blue.
You paired the orange and green together well, and ties in well to the watermeat eyes. The black border around the background makes it look more like a photo shop back drop rather than a convention Isabelle is at.
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2019 12:38 am
Designer :: Pianette Model :: Jiang Li Den Mother Over your shoulder I see a single red leaf Just come close and we'll understand each other
Ahhhh this was tough. For the first couple days I was working on something completely unrelated to this. Casualwear actually, very cute. But then, like right as I was ready to call it done, I went and re-read the description and it just didn't feel... right. I really focused in on the "embodiment" part and well uh, that casualwear was not it lol. So I scrapped that and here we are.
You've got your pretty typical colors in fall, all warm and cozy to prepare you for the coming winter. Maybe it's too warm or maybe it's too cold to even be called fall but there's still something that screams fall, no matter the temperature where you are. I erred on the side of a colder fall here, maybe because it is chilly right now or maybe because I lived in a place with two seasons for too long. A colder fall has always been more appealing to me.
I started in the burgundy tag, messing around with a bit of all that before settling specifically on filigree items. Since it's catharsis-adjacent it works well with a bunch of stuff and, well, burgundy's really nice lol. A good fall red. The pumpkin joined in later with the hairpin, which is one of my most favorite fall accessories. I needed that to carry through however and actually almost ditched it before I finally settled on these arms. And... when I say finally, I mean finally. The whole dress is about 5/6 items? Two of those items came with sleeves that didn't want to go with mods. So probably a large chunk of time was spent trying to find something that a) hid the sleeves and b) fit the overall feel without being too jarring. The white splashes from the underskirt and the neck fluff also help to lighten the look a bit and created a more cohesive atmosphere I feel.
Background wise, it was tempting to use a ... fallback setup, but overall that led to a very cluttered head area and just looked Bad. So I simplified it a lot, creating something warm but also complimentary. The "discount foxes" (or coyotes :u they were brought in since another fox was too bright) were added for balancing. The original foxes were added as something Jiang Li was protecting, as my initial thought process in moving to this avatar greatly involved the term nature spirit.
So overall, I'm happy with how this turned out and honestly glad I took it a different place than where it was before. Because, while cute, it didn't make me happy to make lol.
Pianette
Sarcastic Ally
Offline
The Dread Wolf
Naughty Cranberry
Offline
Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 12:49 am
😎 Summer Fun! 🌞
Designer: The Dread Wolf Model: Isabelle Description:
When I got assigned to create a look that embodied Summer, I knew I wanted to redeem myself. Casual has not been my strongest forte, so I wanted to challenge myself by creating a casual look that embodied summer. Additionally, I wanted to take what I learned from the "Salt, Sand, and Sun" theme (a very summer-esque theme) and improve upon a look that clearly reads: S u m m e r!
The colors of Isabelle's look (yellow, lime, and pink) came across as bright and fun, aspects that scream summer. I wanted to depict Isabelle as enjoying the sun while taking part in peak summer activities, so I chose to use the boardwalk background. Walking along the boardwalk, Isabelle takes in the summer sights and smells while hanging out with her pup!
The first item that I put on was the "yum" shirt. It was cropped, so I thought it was a perfect shirt for summer. I knew I wanted Isabelle to wear short shorts and when I found the pink shorts, I knew they were made for Isabelle! I also chose to give Isabelle a backpack to add to her overall look & to emphasis that summer time is the time for adventures. I thought the backpack also worked well with Isabelle's flirty sunglasses pose. Lastly, the headband and hairpin are just the latest summer accessory trend. Flashy hair accessories are this summer's must have look!
Overall, I feel that this look really embodies summer! I tried my best in balancing the yellow, green, and pink. I think the positioning of the lime brings the eyes to Isabelle's cute & flirty face, which is the intent. Lastly, Isabelle might be wearing socks, but rest assured, its for fashion and convenience. The boardwalk is prone to sweet summer breezes & Isabelle wanted to have a flirty look that drives the summer boys and girls wild!~
Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 8:56 pm
The Faerie Queen Designer: elphiethesane Model: Ophelia
Apologies if this isn’t the most coherent of descriptions, I got sick last minute so I’m having a hard time focusing on words. Honestly, I would have asked for an extension, but I was afraid by the time I thought of that it wouldn’t really be seen on time... sweatdrop
When I saw I had been assigned spring, I wasn’t the most thrilled with it, but it wasn’t my least favorite option either. I would have loved to work with fall, since I have a fondness for the season, but spring at least presented me with a lot of ideas. One of the first was to do an Art Nouveau inspired avatar, since I associate the style a lot with flowers, and therefore spring. Unfortunately while he hair has a nice flow for that style, it’s far too short. I thought about doing a sort of modernized take on a Mucha girl, which seemed like a terribly interesting concept, but I couldn’t quite figure out what that should actually look like. So I had to abandon that influence, though it lingered in my desire to do something light and flowy, with layers of transparent fabric.
The next thought I had was to do something inspired, in part, by Venetian carnival costumes, I think due to wanting to use that overskirt (I’ve always liked it, but struggled to use it in anything) which has a fairly “ball gown” sort of silhouette. Carnival is probably a little early in the year for spring proper, when I think about it, but with it’s ties to Easter I tend to think of it as a spring holiday, and I’ve always had a love of the masks. I thought if I did a flowier, light and airy version of a ball gown, decked in flowers, it’d be something of a combination of these two influences. If I could include a nouveau style background as well, it’s be perfect. Unfortunately I struggled to find a held mask I liked, and I didn’t want to cover any of her face again so soon. So that influence was also abandoned, at least overtly... Obviously I did go with a light, flowy ballgown covered in flowers.
Which brings us to the look I ended up with. I actually came up with it, or at least a version of it, fairly early on, I think actually one of the first when I transitioned between Art Nouveau and Carnival. But the original take was a bit lackluster so I didn’t immediately decide to continue with it. Despite that, I kept being drawn to it, mainly for the color scheme. One of my major issues with my various attempts was that I tend to associate spring with soft, pastel colors, but unfortunately those color schemes tend to wash her out. These colors kept drawing me because they had a lot of that softness, and even something of a warm cast (another thing I wanted, to keep it from looking too wintery), but not so pale as to wash her out. So I went back, added to the original look, and this is the result!
A few other things I wanted to include but wasn’t sure how to work into the narrative: the fairy wings are something of a whim, because I associate fairies with spring but I’m not quite sure why. Flower fairies, perhaps? Regardless, the idea of a fairy queen all decked out in flowers screams spring to me, so I included it. I also wanted to include some pink in her crown, to balance the colors better, but couldn’t find any that layered correctly in the exact same shade of pink. So I settled for near matches in very small amounts... I think that works to make it look like the same pink at a glance. And finally I did consider adding a background, mainly to use an Art Nouveau frame as a nod to that influence, but ultimately decided against it. It made her too busy, and cut off her wings on top of that! (Seriously, why do so many frames have to layer poorly with things like wings?)
Overall, I really like this look. While I had to abandon directly referencing my main influences, I think it’s worth it for such a pretty outfit, and they still influenced the final look. The overall effect screams spring to me, while not washing her out with pale colors.
Cozy & Icy Designer: RENstrawberry Model: Rae Description:
Having completed two and a half winter/icy looks for Rae before, I really wanted to differentiate this look from the previous looks she’s been in. Not sure if the judges randomized the seasons or gave them to us intentionally, but I found this similar theme all the more challenging and yet fun. I suppose the cold is a staple to Rae’s character.
For some reason I decided to start this look off with the background. Not something I usually do, but it was necessary to establish a winter theme early on for my process in order to envision what Rae would actually wear in this environment.
I wanted her layers to be thick and plentiful! So I aimed to really get Rae bundled up to make sure she was nice and warm despite the snow. With so many icy looks under her belt already, I wanted to transform Rae into the ruler of an ice kingdom. I really tried to lean away from the whole Elsa vibe as this incarnation of Rae does not have ice powers. (So she can actually freeze to death!)
For her hand pose, when I used her regular flesh tone I thought it would look strange that she wasn’t wearing gloves in such a cold condition. To solve this I ended up using a similar blue skin tone to help match the clothing to give the effect of gloves! I thought the lantern would be something cute to light her way but also potentially keep her warm.
You can’t see them very well, but I made sure she wore appropriate undergarments and shoes for the cold weather. Doesn’t add to the look but at least is gave me some peace of mind.
Returning to the scenic portion of this look, I added some snow that has begun to collect on her thick coats. Lastly I layered on another background that added what were supposed to be lights, but in this environment I thought they read as snow! The background also dimmed the entire look like a vignette which better pulled off a cold wintry look rather than a happy warm one.
For the finishing details, every royal needs their crown, and while the combo I chose was a little bit more unconventional than most, I’m glad the antlers and head jewelry did the part. I envision Rae now as a mystical protector connected to nature as she watches over this icy domain.
I prepped this look fairly early on, but doubted myself for this challenge a lot and hesitated on posting it. I told myself I would come up with a more casual look to replace this one to play it safe, but decided to stick with my gut in the end and see if this look would finally give me the boot.
currently traveling outside of the U.S., but I still managed to make it on time~
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:43 pm
You are all amazing designers, and this was one of the harder eliminations we've had to do. Since we're going into the finals we really had to look over the competition to make sure we sent the best of the best into the finals. I've included full feedback from the judges this time to aid you in the finale and to give you as much to consider as possible. Thank you for making it hard on us to decide who goes on, and thank you all for filling this cycle with so many great looks. Can't wait to see what the finalists come up with!
Pianette (Jiang Li) This does not seem to exemplify fall for me. All I see are fall colors but nothing else is really standing out and screaming fall. I like they went with several different schemes to make it. This does a disservice to Jiang Li as she is dressed so bulkily and then that headband is so top-heavy. There's just too much stuff. I really don't like the jack o lantern thrown into the headband.
Pros: I got fall from this right away. The colors are classics. I appreciate the attempt to balance the avatar with the foxes on one side and the headpiece on the other. I think it has a nice, spooky-season energy. Cons: There is a lot going on with the headpiece and only about half of it works. This avatar suffers from any-model syndrome. I could put any model in it and the effect would be the same, Jiang Li is not utilized here. The clothes are wearing her. Also, seasons are one of those themes where a background is basically free assistance. Not using a fall bg is like not using the free space on a bingo card.
This said fall to me immediately and I'm really glad for it. It is so cluttered though. I guess the clutter is kind of balanced? But I still feel like Jiang Li is gonna fall over at any moment. She is almost lost. I really love the colors utilized here though, and the use of the foxes to tie in more of that orange and to emphasize fall.
elphiethesane (Ophelia) This does not scream spring to me at all. Like, not at all. I want some green! They relied so heavily on the rosette color scheme and they just made a fairy. Neither of those really has anything to do with spring. The only saving grace is the flower crown and the sleeves. I do think this look compliments Ophelia.
Pros: The look is very pretty and I feel like it actually suits the model. I love the colors and feel like if more time had been put into the look it could evoke spring without relying on the typical use of greens/trees. Cons: Sadly the proper time was not applied and without some flowers in the background or a river or any scene to set us up, this just says "cliche fairy" more than spring by far.
This didn't say spring to me, and it doesn't feel fresh or creative. I'm almost positive I've seen this look before, and we've certainly seen Ophelia with this energy. It's a bit cluttered but doesn't feel like she's going to fall quite like Jiang Li's look. It's a little boring? Like it is a fine look, a beautiful look, but it just isn't what I expect to see at this point. I think a background of some kind would have been a benefit to the look.
RENstrawberry (Rae) YES QUEEN! This screams winter and the chosen look really compliments Rae's features. The background enhances the effect but it doesn't rely on it. I dont mind the bulk as it is the winter theme and she needs to stay warm. I do like the colors chosen although I am sad it is a single color scheme. I wish there was a little bit of blue on her head but I also appreciate that they didnt add anymore weight to her.
Pros: That background is stunning, the colors work with Rae to a T, and I dig the fluffy cape so much! Obviously says winter. Cons: I feel like winter is the easiest season to do on Gaia because there are so many shades of blue. That said, royal icing is so over used for winter looks it's hard not to yawn a little. I also loathe that the gloves match everything else because Rae's head looks like it is floating. REN is running into the same problem as Pia, the model scarcely matters because she is drowning in clothes. More forgivable because it's winter? Sure, but I'm not sure if the skill is better or if it's just luck of the draw. I wish they had gone all in and put a big fuzzy hat on too so I could hand-wave the over-bulk.
This is winter. The background is exquisite, though the colors aren't as impressive. I don't really like the gloves and leaving the head/face the only thing remotely exposed, would be nice to see more of Rae. More skin would help the head not seem so off, but just seeing more of her figure would help her look less like a cluttered mass. But since her look is winter, she can get away with being a cluttered bundle more. And it is gorgeous.
The Dread Wolf (Isabelle) This is very summery but it's not very appealing (not a fan of those shorts). I applaud them for not using a color scheme. I am missing the other arm. Where is it? Overall she is just so washed out. I want some stronger colors here. Summer is a super vibrant time but Dread went with pale almost pastels on an already pale model. I do wish that they had put the hair up in some way. That mass of hair looks so hot on the back of her neck.
Pros: I actually like the outfit (as in the top and bottom styles), and the sunglasses almost feel like a must for summer. I picked up on the summer imagery after a moment, though it did take some reasoning. I really like the dock, I think the background was the best choice in the look. Cons: I couldn't tell if this was spring or summer at first because the colors are very bright and almost pastel, and the flower headpiece and chick-yellow hairband threw me off. If the background was easter eggs in the grass instead of a dock, I'd have bought it as spring. Her other arm got lost in her hair or behind her back. Also the backpack and floating water bottle (?) look very strange and add nothing to the look. Those long socks look hot for summer. Silhouette is once again not doing anything for the model. That hair is so big it has to be balanced by bottom items or a wider stance. It has to be.
This is a cute summer look, and it was clear what season this was for. That puppy is adorable. This is a complete look with the outfit and background. But it's just..simple. At this point would like to see more, and the missing arm is a little odd.
bad wolf bae Captain
Offline
bad wolf bae Captain
Offline
Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:45 pm
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ The Fashion Line: ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
Each finalist will create their own theme and build 5 outfits that represent their brand. The theme can be anything, but the outfits themselves must tie into each other in some way.
Each finalist will be delegated 4 models that have been eliminated plus their own cycle model to make up the 5 models they will use for their clothing line. Each model must be used and the outfits should reflect what looks good with the base traits on each of the models.
All 5 designs must be in the same post and include: Name of clothing line, name of designer, name of cycle model, names of other models and a description explaining your line and how each outfit ties into it.
Each of the 5 outfits will be judged individually on how well they look, how creative they are and how well they fit into your chosen clothing line. Your description will be judged as a whole rather than for the few sentences you dedicate for each design.
In your description, please include the following: ► Introduce us by describing your journey through the cycle ◄ ► Explain your muses and the theme you chose ◄ ► Create a few sentences towards each outfit ◄ detailing how it fits the theme ► End with a few words to finish your Catwalk Show ◄
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ Judging will be ongoing as the finalists post their line. The winner will be announced on December 23rd. Don't be tardy in submitting your work - or the judges won't have sufficient time to judge it! ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2019 8:28 pm
Designer :: Pianette Model :: Jiang Li feat. Jessica || Lucia || Robin || Abby It's a Mystery What's new Scooby Doo We're gonna follow you You're gonna solve that mystery
Description slightly later since the site died in the middle of it last night c: Whoooo this took sometime this year didn't it. It wasn't all bad though, building periods were quite fun : ) I do feel eternally grateful I was able to keep my girlie Jiang Li throughout most of it lol.
On the looks this round I bounced around with a couple ideas before anything. They were... super basic and boring lol but still very heavily considered nonetheless. A specific kind of big fancy dress is like...my brand, so I did initially want to go that route, but finding a big theme to tie that all together (beyond building around different recolors of the same item) was a bit of a challenge. Then after finally (20%) settling on something, I was talking with a friend and he suggested (probably jokingly looking back lol) the Scooby Doo gang. But fancy dresses. AND HERE WE ARE.
Kinda fate tbh, five models, five members. Jiang Li, of course, set the stage as our Velma, probably the most important member of the gang aside from the Scoobster himself. Since she came first a lot important choices came in her build. Namely how I was planning to approach everyone else. And that ended up... well not being by making big big dresses. I wanted each to reflect the characters of course but also play off of the model's characteristics as well. Being the lead model I wanted Jiang Li to be a bit more whimsical and it's why I only allowed her to have a DRT scheme in her outfit. Also in that vein of whimsy, and to carry Velma colors to the head, I settled on the crown. Which unexpectedly changed "SD characters in fancy dresses" to "SD characters as psuedo-royalty" very quickly. To be completely honestly though, I'm not upset it happened like that.
It actually helped a lot in bringing Lucia's Fred together as it gave me something to add to her head. I struggled with this look in particular, since Lucia herself screams butch, and, well, Freddie, lol. While this went a bit frillier than first intended, I believe that this more "prince" look suits her well.
Robin's Daphne look was a lot of fun. I do enjoy purple and I went through a couple different builds with her. Robin has this elegant air to her and Daphne's a little extra herself, so there was a lot of trying to balance all that without completely outshining Jiang Li. A pop of color here and there (including one for hair) brightened the look.
Jessica's Shaggy was... well probably the most fun if I'm completely honest. Like the Fred outfit, I didn't want to go too overtly feminine but at the same time it's Shaggy not Freddie so I felt a bit more free reign in that department. I bounced between a number of different reds for the skirt, as well as the length of the skirt itself before settling on this one.
Now Abby's Scoobs... gaia's not one for brown formal wear. Or tagging. So this ended up probably less brown than I had actually hoped but it was a necessary sacrifice for cohesion. Speaking on cohesion, I was pleasantly surprised to find that neat faux collar effect that works only in maybe three colors.
Overall, I'm pleased with how they all came out. As well as the eventual background choice. What better location for a Scooby Doo themed show than a "haunted" mansion own by Old Man Jenkins. And now, I think it's time for a Scooby Snack
Pianette
Sarcastic Ally
Offline
elphiethesane
Dabbling Dreamer
Offline
Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2019 12:47 am
Stars of the Silver Screen Designer: elphiethesane Main Model: Ophelia Other Models: Jen, Bryce, Ginny, and Uma
Apparently I can’t even words very fast, ugh...
Well this was an... Interesting experience. I went into this final round feeling very prepared, like it was going to be relatively easy. Of course, only relatively, every round has it’s challenges, but unlike the first time I went through this competition, I had an idea of what I wanted to do from the beginning. I had long decided if I got to this point, my final collection would be inspired by the movies, in one way or another. By the end of the competition, that vague idea had solidified: I would give each model an outfit inspired by a specific movie genre, but subtly so. They would look like normal outfits at first glance, their inspirations only becoming clear once you knew what you were looking for. And, inspired by how proud I’ve been of my progress in that department, they’d all be casual, everyday outfits.
That, obviously, didn’t work out.
Clearly I had a lot more trouble then I expected, not helped by the fact that I was on the fence about my direction until right at the end. There was just always a look I was second guessing, usually because there was something that didn’t mesh completely with the other looks. But with some encouragement from my best friend, I finally just went with my strongest idea, despite my second guessing aspects of it. Which is how I wound up with this final line: a set of “red carpet” looks, each themed to a different film genre, but in a way that wouldn’t necessarily be immediately obvious or look like it was just a costume.
Before I describe the individual looks, however, I’d like to add a couple extra notes that apply to the collection as a whole. First, the color scheme: since I had a theme that could very easy start looking like a mishmash (since each girl would be taking inspiration from a different film genre (or possibly subgenre), which all have their own distinct aesthetics), I thought from the beginning I should limit the colors I used to make it look more cohesive. As long as I distributed the colors differently between them, they’d all still look distinct, so it seemed like a perfect idea. Interestingly, I actually abandoned the idea part way through when the color scheme I originally picked wasn’t working, only to (mostly) cycle back around to the idea with a different color scheme.
Secondly, there’s the backgrounds. I came up with the idea of using that particular cutter early on, as I thought I could have a slice of something appropriate to each genre, and then when put side by side it would look a little like a strip of film behind them, or at least be close enough to we one that idea. Unfortunately, that cutter is... Extremely limiting, to put it simply. There’s a whole saga behind me ending up with what I have, but considering this description is likely already going to be very long I won’t get into the details. The short version, though, is that I ended up with this particular set (one that unfortunately doesn’t actually match the colors used in the outfits, with some background that are a bit of a stretch) because, much like with the outfits themselves, every previous attempt either left one model standing out way too much (something I particularly wanted to avoid on the backgrounds... They really shouldn’t be the focus!), or I couldn’t quite make work for all of them.
And now that all that’s out of the way, let’s move on to each of these Stars of the Silver Screen...
First off, we have Jen, representing the genre of horror, specifically of the gothic variety. Or maybe she’s more gothic romance... A little bit of both went into her outfit when I was creating it, though admittedly more gothic romance, as I have more of a personal affinity for the genre. When choosing the genres, I wanted ones with specific aesthetics I could play off of, and when it comes to horror and other dark stories, nothing quite says aesthetic like the gothic. Plus Jen, with her striking eyes, seemed a good match for the mysterious and often supernatural genre... I could see there being something that’s maybe a little magical behind eyes like that.
As far as the dress, I wanted to play off the darkness of the genre by using primarily black, with gold as an accent as a reflection of richness and opulence. After all, when representing a genre that so often takes place in big, old houses filled with secrets, wealth is probably something you should play off of! It’s also, a little, why I chose a tiara as her headgear, though that was partially as I didn’t want too many hats in my line. I also wanted to play off my personal association between the genre and (more or less) the Victorian era, hence the bustle, high neck, and long gloves. I kept those to sort of modern variations to prevent it from looking like a period costume, but the influence is there. The tattered looking over layer is meant to bring in a little more of the horror element: I thought it made it look like this dress had been through some trauma. Maybe running away from the monster, ripping her dress in the process? Though only ever artfully ripped, of course.
Next is Bryce, representing the western. I’ve always thought she looked like one of the more tomboyish models, for lack of a better term, and not particularly suited for long gowns. Which gave me the perfect opportunity to do a non-traditional red carpet look, and the western genre seemed like an ideal match for a suit! It’s not a genre I have a particular attachment to, but it does have a lot of specific aesthetics I could play off of. Unfortunately it was also the one that slipped the easiest into looking like a costume, so Bryce caused me probably the most problems of any model. Even her background was the hardest to find (there’s plenty of backgrounds suitable for a western, and none of them worked for one reason or another)!
In essence, her challenge was to make her look like a cowboy without looking like a literal cowboy. Hence the hat, meant to evoke a cowboy hat without being as obvious as a real cowboy hat, or veering into costume territory like that seemed to do. It’s also why I wound up with the string tie and boots, though the boots I chose were meant to add a bit more glamour and flair to the outfit, befitting the red carpet designation. I also added the tails, as I felt them reminiscent of the kind of period clothing that might be seen in a western. As far as colors, I emphasized the blue partially to evoke denim, but also partially because I love the way this particular shade of blue plays off her red hair. She’s also the only one to use colors outside the scheme the rest of the models use, which is pretty much for practical purposes... I originally tried an ivory shirt and pants, but it was a little too eye catchingly bright. I think the colors I used are suitable both for the model and the genre, and they “go” well enough with the colors the other models are using not to draw too much attention to the fact that they’re different.
Then there’s Ophelia, taking inspiration from one of my personal favorite genres, adventure. Namely, swashbuckling pirate movies. As my main model, I always wanted to make Ophelia the star of the show, hence giving her a personal favorite genre, as well as making her look bigger and more ornate then any other. But that was also the reason I was so on the fence over going with the red carpet looks for so long, as I ended up with a look that seemed to stand out a little too much. Like it definitely pushes the limits of what you would realistically see on the red carpet. But while I may have been thinking more Oscars then Met Gala, it’s not as if red carpets haven’t seen some wild outfits, so ultimately I decided to just embrace the standout look.
As far as the composition of the look itself, I immediately had imagined something that combined a stereotypical pirate’s coat, with a big sash around the waist, and a big, “romantic” looking dress... Partially because of the kind of clothing woman wore in the period these movies usually (loosely) represent, and partially because... Well, there is that loosely. Movies like that offer a very romanticized view of the past, so why not a very “romantic” looking dress? The very layered look was mostly a product of me just trying to make that effect work, but as I added to the dress I liked the textural look it created enough to just lean into it. I even included a gold necklace as a little detail, like a pirate’s treasure, though I think it just ended up getting lost in everything that’s going on. But with the coat top, multi-layered waist sash, dramatic feathered hat, and even the more period reminiscent bodice, her outfit covers everything I think of when I think “pirate movie”. And with the size and ornateness of the dress, as well as the fact that she uses every color in my palette unlike the other models, Ophelia definitely stands out as the star of the show!
Next is Ginny, with an outfit inspired by cheesy 50s sci-fi. Honestly, the second I saw that I had gotten her, I wanted to put her in a 50s inspired look, just because her hairstyle seemed appropriate for it to me. And it gave me a great opportunity to do another “non-traditional” red carpet look to mirror Bryce. Of course, a suit might not suit Ginny’s cuter, more girly look, but a short dress would. Of course, you see plenty of short dresses on many red carpets these days, but events like the Oscars still have a strong tradition of not doing that that’s only being slowly relaxed.
This look is mostly inspired by 50s sci-fi’s tendency toward aliens and space related adventures, hence the theme of stars. I also picked the colors for her outfit to reflect that theme, making black (for space) and green (for “little green men”) two of the main colors. The transparent skirt was also an attempt to bring some of that in as well: I had things like this and this in mind, trying to get more of that retro futuristic vibe, but the sheer skirt was the closest I could find that looked remotely decent. At least that kind of skirt would be daring on a red carpet? The rest of it was mostly just an attempt to capture that 50s aesthetic. Though I will add that I had a better headband combination in mind, something that I really liked the look of, only for it to be incompatible with some other vital item. Probably the most frustrating thing that can happen!
And lastly we have Uma, who was probably the easiest to assign with Film Noir. I knew I wanted to do a noir look from the beginning, as it’s aesthetic is such a wonderful place to find inspiration. And Uma, with her sexy, half coving her eyes hairstyle, is so easy to cast as the femme fatale. The challenge with her was trying to keep her from being too simple. For a noir red carpet look, it’s an obvious choice to go for the old Hollywood glam sort of style, but those looks are often so simplistic! Classy and elegant, but not much to add flair.
For this look, I think that flair is mostly gained from the dramatic fur. Which honestly broke my original plan... I intended to keep it primarily black with only some white, to represent the deep shadows that are a key part of defining the noir aesthetic. However, I just couldn’t resist the personality and glamour it added to the outfit, and I still managed to retain the purely black and white color scheme, evoking another key to the noir look. I tried to add some flair in other ways, too, mainly in modifying the neckline to be something more reminiscent of the period, and in the hat meant to evoke those big, halo shaped sunhats.
Even with my attempts to edit, this description is still much longer then it probably should be, and I’m having a hard time getting across the same information any shorter. I think, though, that’s a reflection of how much thought went into this collection. It’s hard for me to cut anything, because everything seems vital to understanding the looks to me. It probably isn’t, but it’s so hard for me to decide if it is or not... Regardless, I hope I conveyed what I was trying to do. I’m quite proud of what I managed to do with this concept, as well as everything else I’ve done over the course of this competition. No matter the results, I feel I’ve grown tremendously in skill, and have been pushed into doing looks that are out of my comfort zone and pulled them off well. It’s very satisfying to know what I can pull off.
...Though seriously, my greatest enemy is items deequiping other items. I had some perfect additions that just refused to work and that is so frustrating.
Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 10:40 pm
The Winner of Cycle Three of Project Catwalk is... elphiethesane with model Ophelia!
A very close second place goes to... Pianette with model Jiang-Li
And a final third place goes to... RENstrawberry with model Rae
Congratulations to our Cycle Three Finalists, and all of our other wonderful designers from the cycle! You’ve made this so challenging for us judges, and this finale came down to really splitting hairs. Look forward to seeing what amazing things you guys come up with in the future!
ROGUECOCO Designer: RENstrawberry Lead Model: Rae Model Tean: Tara, Sienna, April, Stella Description:
My clothing line, Roguecoco, is inspired by the classical Rococo fashion of 18th century France. The Rococo is traditionally known for its playful (or humorous) motifs and for being both excessive and extravagant. With the models above I have appropriated key elements of the Rococo into their attire.
The name Roguecoco is a play off of this fashion line’s inspiration and predecessor as well as the word “rogue”. Rogue was inspired by the contemporary twist I gave to this fashion line to make it uniquely mine.
My struggle for a theme was apparent from the beginning. However, after discerning what I enjoyed to design with rather than constructing an outfit based off an initial theme, the clothing line came easily.
Rococo fashion focuses on the excessive and extravagant, so plenty of fabric, frills, ruffles, and lace were an absolute must. (I also threw in a homage to floral and feathers. The 18th century French sure loved to design with those and so did I!) I made sure using these types of fabrics were included in every design. Motifs are also another signature to the Rococo so I decided to limit the amount of patterns I used to striped and floral elements, that way I wouldn’t go too crazy if every outfit was a different pattern.
Of the models 3/5 have stripes, 3/5 have flowers, 3/5 have big hats, 2/5 have top hats, and 2/5 have a fishnet material. Other than the frilly ruffles, these are the most repeated elements seen in Roguecoco. The top hats and Tara’s outfit especially were influenced by men’s Rococo fashion.
The most recognized color palette of the Rococo are pastels and other light colors, so including these in every design was a must. To bring the designs into the contemporary, I made sure to compliment/balance the fun pale hues with black and white. Utilizing the black was necessary to really differentiate and stylize the Rococo into the Roguecoco clothing line.
With all of these designs I made sure not to strictly stick to one of Gaia’s color schemes. Instead in some cases I made my own color schemes and in others I pulled from similar schemes to create my own.
Choosing the colors for the models was a very difficult process for my last two models. In my experience it came easily with Rae, Tara, and Sienna, but a lot of discerning was needed for April and Stella. My main focus when assigning what colors looked best on what models was to make sure my outfits didn’t suffer from what I believe judges in the past have called “any model syndrome”. To avoid this from happening I considered the warmness or the coolness of the models natural traits and utilized colors that went with their tones or complimented them (like with complimentary colors).
Lastly to finish off the looks, unifying them with the orbs in the background was the final step. The Rococo is exceptionally playful and I thought unifying my team of models with this final element really solidified the playful, humorous, and even silly ornamentation of the Rococo.
Thank you for giving me this last chance to design and the extension as well! My a** knew I needed it so I could finish my finals successfully and pack up all my things in the process.
