Wednesday, May 16, 2012

CRYSTAL POWELL WINS MISSION CATWALK

Jamaican Crystal Powell wowed judges on Mission Catwalk episode eight with an avant-garde, couture garment made from alternative material- old newspapers and materials from a hardware store. This is the second win for the 25 year-old who previously won the Flapper challenge on episode three.

For Crystal, the win was a confidence booster: “I got a chance to show the judges that I can be dramatic and over the top and very intense, moods I usually reserve for my poetry and drawings. Avant- garde is highly regarded in fashion, so for me it was a validation of my design acumen.”

Inspired by the Crusades, Crystal wanted her design to be pretty but unsettling to reflect “how something which purportedly started out with good intentions could have such devastating and ugly results. “

The garment’s top was made from newspaper with a unique amour-like stencil made by applying black spray paint over a poly-flex sink protection mat. The collar and belt of the dress (made from folded newspapers spray painted in red) formed both a sword and cross. The skirt was made of cut newspaper folded into flower-like shapes, still using the same stencil pattern but this time sprayed in red. The bold and dark effect was accentuated by black flowers, lipstick and gloves. The purple feather earring and cobalt (blue) tights were used to incorporate the traditional colours of priesthood- purple, red and blue and continue the theme of the Crusades. Copper and steel wires added for further dramatic effect.


Crystal Powell ep 8 design front Credit Tiffany Lue Yen

The series will climax with a grand showdown at Caribbean Fashion Week with the top three designers in June. To find out ‘Who will rule the catwalk?’, keep watching the show which airs Tuesdays at 8:30 PM on TVJ and is simultaneously streamed online at http://www.televisionjamaica.com/livetv.aspx.

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