Spring DW Fashion Design Challenge Starts Today! Entries Due May 15th!

The Spring 2014 Fashion Design Challenge is Starting!!
Weeeee!!!

Put your thinking caps on designers!

There will be three Fashion Design Challenges in 2014:

Spring, Summer and Fall.

Basic Info

The idea is to craft one doll outfit design and actually create it - yourself. 

Handmade.

The contest is open to anyone who wants to participate. 

Men, women.

Adults, children.

Elves, fairies.

Americans, Canadians, Australians, Japanese, Mexicans, Martians.

Anyone. Anyplace.

If you participated before you can participate again.

In fact, you really really really should.

You will just need to make one new outfit.

If you are younger than 18 years old, please get your parent or guardian's 

permission to participate.

Entrant Categories

We will break the entries into THREE groups:

 newbies, intermediaries, and pros.

The groups will be labeled publicly.

Please tell us what category you wish to be listed in, 

but Penny will make the final decision on that front. 

If your outfit looks like a professional job and you want it listed in the newbie section, 

then that isn't really fair. And vice versa.

How to Figure Out Which Category You Are

New to sewing anything, doll clothing or human clothing = Newbie

Been sewing for a few years, doll clothing or human clothing = Intermediary

Been sewing for quite awhile, sell doll clothing = Pro

For sellers, this contest is basically designed to give you a venue for showing off your skilz, gifts, abilities, talents, ideas, awesomeness. 

Take this opportunity to get your name out there. 

And feel free to sell the outfits you create for this contest. 

(We actually bought two of them from the 2012 contest.)

Winners

Each category will have a top winner. 

So there will be three winners to this contest in total.

Each winner will received a $60 AG Gift Card.

Outfit Theme: Meet Outfit

For 2014 we are theming the FDC outfit assignments.

For Spring your task to design a "Meet Outfit."

It can be modern or historical. 

It can be a character's costume.

But you have to choose a specific doll and make his/her "Meet" Outfit.

It can be your own character.

Or the Meet you think an AG character should of had.

Or a character from a book, movie, TV show, etc.

Express your creativity peoples.

We are looking for AG-size outfits on AG dolls.

But if you want to do Journey Girls, Karito Kids,
Hearts 4 Hearts, Battat, Springfield, etc. that is okay.

As long as the doll is mostly comparable to AG size and dimensions.

We just don't want Barbie body and BJD style dolls because comparing them to AG style dolls isn't exactly apples to apples, more like apples to orange juice. ;)

The outfit comes with three tasks.

See previous entries for examples:

http://2013dwfashiondesignchallenge.blogspot.com/

http://dwfashiondesignchallenge.blogspot.com/

1) Outfit design

This can be a drawing, with your hand or on the computer, pictures of human clothing, a Polyvore-type mash-up thing, scan from a catalog, whatever you what to do.

But it has to clearly show your design. Identify types of clothing items, colors, and fabrics.

Also you should do a write-up for what you are planning. Use your words. Explain everything.

Try to be as complete as possible. The more complex the outfit, the better. And we don't mean it has to use couture sewing techniques and super-expensive fabrics. I mean start from a basic foundation and then go beyond that. Layers, outerwear, socks, tights, shoes, jewelry, a purse, etc. Do you go to the mall in just a tee shirt and shorts? Probably not. You at least wear shoes....

You can submit more than one image for your design for this task.

2) Outfit in process of being created

Show us your fabrics, the pattern, the pieces you have cut out, mock-ups, whatevs. Just as long as you show us your creative process. This way we see how you work and we make sure it is actually you who made the outfit.

You can use bought patterns for your outfit, like patterns from Liberty Jane or All Dolled Up -- or wherevs. Or you can make your own patterns. Shoes can be store-bought or handmade.

In Process Pictures do not have to be fine art. They just have to show the work in progress. :-)

Also, submission can be more than one image.

3) Outfit complete and modeled

This is where you should take out your best doll model, best camera, and best photography skilz.

Photograph your outfit as professionally as possible. Pretend you are doing a magazine or catalog shoot -- like you are trying to sell this outfit. Craft a photo shoot studio, make a doll-scale scene, or go outdoors. Or do all three.

The more convincing, human-ish, and realistic the shoot, the better. Doll against a white wall or doll on a tabletop is boring. We do that everyday. Make your pics stand out and extra, extra awesome. Feel free to use props.

Include at least one shot of the whole outfit. And then detail shots and different looks for the outfit. Like with and without a jacket on, for example.

We expect more than one image for this task.

________________

You must submit images for all three tasks for one complete outfit.

ALL THREE TASKS Are Due Together.

Meet Outfit Design, In Process Pics and Complete Outfit Pics

Due on or before May 15th.

The three top winners will only be chosen from 

people who submitted all three tasks for their "Meet Outfit. 

_________________

We will be posting your designs and pics on this blog: http://sp2014dwfashiondesignchallenge.blogspot.com/

So don't send us pics of humans nor of things you don't want on the internet.

_____________

There will be a week of reader voting after all of the complete outfits are shown to y'alls. 

Then Penny will be tallying all of the votes (from both outfits) at the end of everything. 

From the top 50%, she'll pick one winner from each category, 

newbies, intermediaries and pros.

Penny's judging will be based upon several factors. 

They are ranked by order of importance:

1) Quality of craftsmanship

2) Realism

3) Fit

4) Creativity

5) Wow Factor

By "Wow Factor" -- we mean overall perfection of the outfit. 

Is it eye-catching? Do all of the pieces go together? 

When you see it do you immediately say: "I want that!!"

___________________

All images for all of the tasks should be sent to nora.demington@gmail.com

Images measuring 500 pixels wide or wider are best.
Again, try to make your images the best quality they can be.

Feel free to attach the pics to the email or
if you want to send us links to Picasa, Photobucket, Flickr albums, etc. you can.

Youtube slideshows are also okay.

As long as ALL THREE TASKS are included in your album or vid.

Thanks for visiting us today!

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us.

You can use the comment box below or email us at nora.demington@gmail.com