{On the Blog} $50 and 60 hours for a Good Cause

What can you do with 450 brads, 750 rhinestones, 60 pages of invitation paper, 60 yards of tulle, $50 bucks and 60 hours of your time for a good cause?

This year we partnered with Phoenix Nace and designed a dress for the “Project Nace: Designing Fashion for a Cause” event to benefit the Starlight Children’s Foundation Arizona chapter.

The challenge for his event was to create a dress from something included in an event with a 50% cap on fabric usage. For some unknown reason invitations and a paper project came immediately to mind (where do I come up with these nutty ideas?).

Though we got up close and personal with our model having to make 2 plaster busts to create the form fitting paper mâché bodice which we adorned with crystals, pearls and brads featured a dramatic sweetheart neckline and swooping back. I decided to have fun with the length making it short and funky in the front and long and sweet in the back. I even created a custom paper headpiece and flower accessory, bouquet and necklace and a very fun and funky crystal monogrammed back tattoo! Which totally rocked with the low back!

The final product though slightly different from my original concept, came out perfectly!

Deemed the “Diamond and Pearls” dress, had tons of shimmer and shine and if you looked close enough you would find actual wedding invitation wording!

You can even get a peek at it on Good Morning Arizona here: