A group of Allen County Community College students turned sheets of fabric, a few scraps of paper and an abundance of duct tape into a fashion show worthy of the finest glamour magazines.
“Project Runway: Allen” was the brainchild of ACCC sophomore Lindsay Jarvis and instructor Terri Piazza, both of whom are fans of the popular television show “Project Runway.”
Wednesday’s offering drew a large crowd to the ACCC Theatre and followed much the same theme.
Students gathered nine teams of designers and models and gave them 90 minutes to create an outfit worthy of a formal dance, such as homecoming or prom. They used leftover scraps of fabric from costumes in previous ACCC theater productions and piles of newspaper, wallpaper and paper sacks (the paper was a required component of the outfits), as well as duct tape and spray paint.
They didn’t disappoint. All nine teams had the basic elements of their outfits in place within minutes, and most were done well in advance of the 90-minute deadline.
In the end, Elizabeth Otto’s creation, a jump suit complete with paper tie, suspenders and footwear made entirely of tape worn by Christofer Haynes, took home first prize.
Amy Bolen’s outfit, modeled by Autumn Lamle, a silver and red dress with yellow belt, took second place.
Kellea Hampton’s dress — modeled by Suzie Fields — featuring shades of blue and paper shoulder straps took third.
The top three designers and models each received cash prizes.
The students’ works were praised by the trio of guest judges, Iolans Nancy McEndree and Emma Piazza and ACCC volleyball coach Jessica Peters.
“This was hard to judge because their creativity was amazing,” Peters said at the conclusion of the show.
Terri Piazza said she hopes to see the fashion show become an annual event at the college.
Turning scraps into fashion
