Creativity Soars at UIW Show

Monday's Cutting Edge Fiesta Fashion Show - the 33rd presented by graduating design students at the - brought a much-needed edge back to the crowd-pleasing show.Not that the annual show, including this one, had been lacking in focused collections executed with exquisite dressmaking (and better fabrics) and on-trend and wearable designs. But playing it too safe in the past had edged out the show's rebellious thinking.At this year's show at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter downtown, design experimentation ruled the runway. And the record 920 guests enthusiastically approved - even though most women wouldn't dare jump into a straight-jacket dress with a 102-inch back zipper or another with a super-sized bow the dimensions of a bath towel, albeit still elegant.The audience loved the ideas that flowed on the catwalk from the young talent trying their designer wings. They soared with creativity beyond their obvious pattern-making and sewing skills. After all, dressmaking is not designing. A designer must have ideas, and this show was bountiful.There was Chastity Taylor's jumbo leather spikes on a form-fitting coat that was an ode to her favorite designer ; a McQueen tattoo on her arm proved it.There were 's mammoth-sized couture bows on chic bridesmaid dresses that could easily double for the cocktail hour. Shatorria Whitener deconstructed women's tuxedos; a jacket brilliantly worked with blue leather and blue leather stripes down graceful trousers. created gold voluminous wrapped shorts and daring Ikat-print garments inspired by 's Queen of the Nile look in "Cleopatra."Often, a surplus of such edginess can be problematic with design concepts bordering on a costume fit for Halloween. But that wasn't the case at this year's show from the students at UIW's .So appealing were the looks presented by the nine students including Courtney Casares, , Celia Alecozay, and that many garments were sold after the show outside the ballroom. (Miss bought a $325 teal handkerchief linen halter dress with a petal-shaped skirt from Alecozay, who managed an on-the-spot fitting.)Past Cutting Edge graduate Petrecia Falcon, 54, who will present a collection at Los Angeles' Fashion Week in the fall, put it best, quoting a UIW professor who told her: "If you design it, someone will buy it."Along with the edgier offerings, the students also presented many current trends: the high-low hemline, fabric mash-ups, color-blocking, pleating and cutouts on skirts and corsets. They worked with beautiful silks, chiffons, wool, lace and leather - and showed off superb craftsmanship. Their efforts paid off, in particular for the award winners in design and construction.Pugh's wedding party collection swept the competition with three awards: first place in design and construction and best of show. She also won a $1,500 scholarship. She presented a range of silhouettes from sleek, long gowns to shorter ones. Her finale was her favorite: an ivory strapless sweetheart neckline wedding gown with a drop waist and elaborate rose-embroidered train accented with faux pearls.Backstage she said her collection was inspired by the gowns created by the Marchesa team of and ."I love the exaggerated feel of the bows and the soft architectural detailing of the roses," she said of her work. "Each garment has my handiwork on it."Since the sixth grade, Pugh has been cutting up shirts and reinventing them with embellishments. "I would add all sorts of stuff to them, all by hand."In all, she spent about $1,500 on her collection. She said the school gave each student $500 to get started. She and the other students began working on their collections last April: sketching, pattern making, draping and then going through fittings created with muslin. From that came the final eight garments that each student sent down the catwalk.Of her triple-award sweep, she said "Those long nights paid off."Taking second place in construction was Taylor, who also took second in design. Third place in construction went to Whitener and third place in design was awarded to Yamamoto.A special runway presentation kicked off the luncheon event with knitwear from Chinese garment makers that had selected San Antonio for its North American sales office, . Students designed several garments - a below-the-knee cascading sweater, a color blocked off-the-shoulder dress, a floor-length knit coat accented with leather and more - that Shantex manufactured.