Liesel fake bows to me. “Your wish is my command,” she says.
I glance across the room and spot Nina and Tanya looking at us. Nina whispers something to Tanya, and they both laugh. I turn away.
“Don’t let them get inside your head,” says Liesel. “Focus on your design.”
“You’re right,” I say, smiling as we walk to the Shadow Garden.
The exhibit is crowded with people when we arrive. Cascading colored sand reacts to the shadows projected on the wall. I get in on the action, watching the sand accumulate based on the shapes my shadow creates. When I dance, the sand forms a line. When I move my right arm, the sand follows. I spread my arms wide, and the sand splits in two. The more our shapes change, the more sand accumulates. I watch someone step away from the wall, and the sand design he made falls.
I think about all the exhibits I’ve seen today. One robot’s actions affected how another behaved. The colored circles only stayed in place if Liesel, Daphne, and I were all there. And the sand only worked if someone was there to engage it. In one way or another, each exhibit was influenced by the environment around it.
Interactivity, that’s my inspiration. Now I just have to figure out how to turn that idea into an outfit that’s wearable — and winning.
When our two hours of exploration are up, we all gather back at the entrance. Hunter leads us into a room filled with tables, sewing machines, and fabrics. Today’s bookshelf is overflowing with different fabrics.
“Designers, you’ll have two hours to complete your designs,” Hunter reminds us. “Your mentors are here to oversee your designs and offer advice, but you must do all designing and garment construction on your own. Are we clear?”
All the designers and mentors nod in agreement. I’m already mentally sketching my idea and envisioning my materials so I can get started as soon as Hunter gives us the go-ahead.
“And remember,” Hunter tells us, “your design should be inspired by something you saw here today. Ready? Go!”
Right away I spot a bolt of silver crepe on a rack off to the side. I reach out and feel the soft material with my hand. This silky, flowy fabric is exactly what I need. The way it moves and flows reminds me of how the sand moved with my body in the Shadow Garden and Sand Interactive.
On a nearby rack, I spot a bolt of mirrored, metallic fabric. Jackpot! That will be the perfect accent. And even better, the contrast between the materials — light and dark — is reminiscent of the contrast my shadow created when it was projected against the wall.
I grab the mirrored fabric, hold it up against the silver, and admire the combination. “What do you think?” I ask Liesel.
Liesel eyes the metallic material I picked. “I love the contrast,” she says. “How are you planning on putting them together?”
“I’m going to use the crepe for the majority of the dress because it moves so well,” I explain. “I was thinking of doing something with one shoulder and maybe adding a loose, flowy sleeve. And then I want to use the mirrored fabric at the waist to add shape and definition. It will look almost like a cut-out.”
I hold the pieces up against the mannequin as I explain my vision, and Liesel nods. “The mirrored inset will help add some structure to the looser fabric, too, which I love,” she says. “Seems like you have it all figured out. But how does your design fit into the challenge? What’s the connection to the exhibits we saw?”
I alternate between working and talking. I have too much measuring, cutting, and stitching to do to stop and chat for long. “The way the material falls reminds me of the sand in the Shadow Garden,” I explain. “Whenever someone walked away, it sort of cascaded to the ground. And the reflective material is there to represent my biggest takeaway — that all the exhibits we saw today were reflections of their environment.”
Liesel nods. “You’re really on to something, Chloe. I might have to carry your stuff in my store after all this is over.” She winks at me.
A design with Liesel? I’m definitely dreaming. But if I want that dream to come true, I’d better get to work. I drape the silver crepe across my dress form, trying to work with the flow of the material. I don’t want the dress to look sloppy, so I need the top to be fitted enough to balance out the looser, knee-length skirt I have planned.
“One hour!” yells Hunter.
Next I grab the mirrored fabric I’ll be using at the waist of my dress. I measure it against the mannequin and start cutting. So far so good.
I finish measuring and race over to the sewing machine. Thank goodness we have access to them now. Sewing by hand would make this challenge almost impossible. I pin the mirrored material to the silver fabric and use my marking chalk to keep track of where to attach it. I’m comfortable with sewing these pieces together. The stitching reminds me of attaching the faux leather panels in some of my earlier designs.
“Thirty minutes,” calls Hunter. “Thirty minutes!”
I think about what Liesel told me in Mood about there being more than one way to make a connection. I was always so worried about switching things up that I didn’t focus on what I did best. It’s completely possible to use similar techniques from one design to the next and still produce a fresh, new product.
I add a side zipper to my dress and carry the nearly finished garment back over to the dress form to make sure it fits. Once I’m satisfied with the tailoring, I grab a steamer to use the final few minutes to get rid of the wrinkles in the material. In earlier tasks, I might have panicked and settled for good enough, but not today. I want this design to be perfect.
“And time,” says Hunter. “Hands up.”
When it’s time for the judging to start, I stand nervously beside my dress and wait. Hunter and the two guest judges, Carmine and Jerome, walk from design to design, finally stopping at Daphne’s structural fluorescent green top and metallic skirt.
“Here’s what I like,” says Jerome. “Your bold color choices show you’re not afraid to take risks. That’s important in the design world.” Daphne beams happily. Neon isn’t my style, but clearly Jerome feels differently.
“The problem, though,” Jerome continues, “is this silver, crinkly material you chose for the skirt. What is it?”
“Mylar,” says Daphne quietly.
“Like what balloons are made of?” Carmine asks.
Daphne nods. “My theme was ‘Wave of the Future.’ That’s what the museum represented to me.” Her voice shakes. If Missy were here, she’d jump to comfort Daphne.
“Hmmm,” says Jerome, checking the stitching. “Thank you, Daphne.”
Luke is up next. His mannequin is wearing a metallic dress with sequins and studs on the exaggerated shoulders.
“I see someone else was going for the look of the future, too,” Hunter comments.
“That’s right,” says Luke. “I used metallic fabric and added to the shine with studs and sequins.”
Carmine feels the pointy studs Luke used to embellish the shoulders of his dress. She smiles. “I’m not sure studded shoulder pads are my style, but your perspective is very clear. I have to commend you for that.”
Luke’s smile doesn’t waver. “To each his own, right?”
“Gotta stay true to your vision,” Hunter agrees. He moves on to Derek, whose design, as usual, is flawless. “Tell us about your design, Derek. What inspired it?”
“It’s called ‘Behind the Seams,’” Derek says. “I was inspired by the animation exhibit. Usually, what happens behind the scenes of technology is a mystery. But here, when I made my own animation, I got to see how it worked.”
“So how does that play into your design?” Carmine asks.
Derek turns the skirt inside out and reveals hidden pockets sewn inside. “I added interior pockets to this high-low skirt,” he explains. “They’re hidden but still useful.”
Carmine looks impressed. “You took the id
ea and ran with it.” She returns the skirt to its correct side. “You can’t even see where the pockets were sewn in. Your stitching and garment construction are flawless.”
The judges move on to the next designer, Nina.
“Nina, what do we have here?” Hunter asks.
Nina squares her shoulders and gives the judges a wide smile. “I made a dress-and-headband combo, and I call it ‘Silent Voices.’” She stares at the judges expectantly like they’re supposed to know what she means by that.
Hunter clears his throat. “Well, uh, how about you explain how that theme works with your pieces.”
Nina keeps smiling and shows off the taffeta dress she’s made. “I incorporated the same material into her oversized hair bow,” she says. “The material is noisy, but that’s the irony. Technology may make a lot of noise, but it’s, like, the uh, unrecognized parts of our world.”
Huh? I think. The judges look confused too, and I spot Tanya shaking her head. Nina shoots her a confused look. I bet Tanya told Nina what to say, and she flubbed it.
“You’re right; there is a lot about technology that we don’t know,” Hunter says, clearly trying to throw Nina a bone. “Thanks for sharing.”
Then it’s my turn. Liesel squeezes my shoulder as the judges approach. Before they can even ask what inspired me, I blurt out, “I was inspired by the different interactive exhibits and how they reflected their environments.”
Jerome laughs a little at my obvious enthusiasm, and Carmine and Hunter study the dress’s construction.
“I like your choice of materials,” Jerome says. “The mirrored panel at the waist is the perfect contrast to the rest of the dress in terms of both structure and material.”
Carmine nods. “I agree. Can you tell us more about why you chose these two fabrics in particular?”
I take a deep breath. “As I said, I was inspired by the interactive exhibits, particularly the Shadow Garden and Sand Interactive,” I begin, motioning to my dress. “I chose this silver crepe because there’s real movement in the material. The way it falls and waves reminds me of how the sand cascaded to the ground when someone stepped away from the sand wall. Plus the contrast between the light crepe and the darker mirrored panel reminds me of how shadows are created in the first place.”
Hunter nods and smiles, and I take it as a signal to keep going. “All the exhibits we visited today were reflections of their environment and the people interacting with them,” I continue. “Nothing could exist alone. No matter what, the exhibits all reflected how we interacted with them. This reflective material I used at the waist is a literal representation of that concept.”
Hunter nods again. “Well put, Chloe,” he says.
The judges move on to Sam’s and Shane’s designs, and I hear them asking Sam a lot of questions about his choice of material and stitching technique. Hunter seems to be examining his design closely, but I can’t hear what exactly he’s saying. Sam always seems to come out on top, though, so I bet he’s not worried.
When they’re finished examining the last design, the judges move to stand in front of the row of designers. “I can see you all took this challenge very seriously,” Hunter says. “Must have something to do with the great prize. Once we’ve finished deliberating, we’ll let you know who the lucky winner is and who will be going home.”
With that, the judges leave the room, and all we can do is sit and wait. Sam and Shane are deep in whispered discussion. Daphne is staring off into space, Luke looks lonely, and Nina looks annoyed. Only Derek appears relaxed, leaning back with his hands behind his head.
After about thirty minutes, the judges reappear. Everyone immediately perks back up and pays attention.
“Let’s start with our favorite designs of the day,” Carmine says. “Chloe and Derek, you both impressed us with your thematic application and use of fabric. We also like how you both expanded your thinking in terms of what this challenge required.”
Derek and I exchange happy grins. I’m so excited and relieved, I could burst. But the judges aren’t finished.
“Now on to the not-so-good news,” Jerome says. “While we did like everyone’s attempt to convey a message through his or her designs, it seems like a few of you lost something in the execution. Daphne, your colors were daring, but we can’t get on board with wearing Mylar. It just didn’t work.”
Daphne nods, but she looks like she might cry. I think of how put together she was during the team challenge at the hardware store and feel bad for her.
“Luke,” Carmine says, “while I really admire how you stuck to your guns in terms of your very modern vision, I can’t see anyone off the runway wearing studded shoulder pads. I’m sorry.”
Hunter speaks up next. “The last person joining the bottom three today is Nina. You may have had an interesting design, but we didn’t understand your concept. And unfortunately, I don’t think you did either.”
Nina looks up in horror. She clearly wasn’t expecting to be in the bottom today.
“Sam and Shane, you’re both safe for today,” says Hunter. “Unfortunately, one of our bottom three will be eliminated today. Nina, although your point of view was confusing, we were able to see beyond that to what the design could be. Daphne, while we didn’t like the Mylar, we liked the choice of color. Luke, I’m sorry but there were too many things that did not work for us with your piece. It just wasn’t wearable, and there was no clear connection to the challenge. You’ll be leaving us today.”
Surprisingly, Luke takes the elimination well. “Thank you all for this opportunity,” he says. “It’s been a great experience. I promise you’ll see me again.”
“I have no doubt about that,” Hunter agrees. “In fact, I look forward to it.”
“Shall we end this with some good news?” asks Carmine.
“What would that be?” Jerome teases. “Oh, yes, the big winner.” He pauses for effect, and my hearts pounds with anticipation. “Derek and Chloe, we really enjoyed both of your designs. However, one of them really stood out. Chloe, both your theme and execution captured the essence of this task. Congratulations! Your designs will be featured in video games worldwide!”
I can’t believe it! Did he really just say my name? I think. I must not be imagining things, because in seconds Liesel is hugging me. The rest of the contestants congratulate me too. Everyone except for Nina.
I catch her looking at me and can’t help but think that if looks could kill, I’d be in serious trouble.
The next morning, loud shouting wakes me up from a deep sleep. I’m confused for a second. Where am I? I think, looking around through half-closed eyes. Not my room at home — the hotel. In New York. As soon as my mind clears, I jump up and run to my phone, worried I’ve missed a message about an upcoming challenge.
“What time is it?” my mom asks groggily.
I look at the time on my phone. “Six a.m.,” I tell her. No text from Hunter, thank goodness. But the shouting is getting louder. I open the door a crack and see Sam standing in the hallway. The door to his room is open, and Shane is standing beside it. Both of them look devastated.
“How could you do this?” Shane shouts at his twin.
“I panicked!” Sam yells. “I wanted to win.”
“But you were doing fine,” Shane says. “Now they’re going to think I’m a cheater too.”
“It was just some thread and a piece of fabric. It’s not a big deal,” Sam insists.
What thread? What fabric? I think. My groggy six a.m. brain is not putting the clues together fast enough.
“It is a big deal,” Shane says. His voice is quieter now but just as angry. “We can’t bring any of our own materials to the challenges. You knew that! Did you think the judges wouldn’t notice?”
Suddenly what they’re talking about makes sense. Sam must have somehow brought his own materials to the challenge yesterday. Hunt
er’s excessive questioning about Sam’s stitching and choice of material makes sense now too. He must have suspected something was up when the material wasn’t one he recognized.
“I’m sorry,” Sam says. “I’m really sorry.”
“Well, sorry isn’t going to cut it since you’ve been disqualified,” Shane says. “We were going to do this together. And you ruined it.”
I close the door and slump back on the bed, too awake to go back to sleep. “It sounds like Sam was eliminated,” I tell my mom. “He cheated.”
Mom shakes her head. “Pressure gets to people,” she says.
I nod but don’t say anything. With Sam gone we’re down to five designers, but this is not how I thought the next elimination would go.
* * *
A few hours later, I head down to the lobby to find some breakfast. I must not have been the only one awoken by the twins’ early morning shouting match, because the other designers are downstairs too. I grab a croissant and some juice from the buffet and sit beside Daphne.
“Crazy morning, huh?” she says.
“Yeah, no kidding,” I agree, taking a bite of pastry. “So Sam is really gone? For good?”
Daphne nods. “That’s what it sounds like. I guess Hunter talked to him this morning after he confirmed Sam used his own material during the last challenge.”
“Jeez,” I say, looking down. There are cameras stationed around the breakfast area, and I’m sure they’re hoping to catch some of the drama for the show.
“The thing is . . . I can understand why he did it,” Daphne says. “I mean, I’m not saying it was right. But it’s easy to lose yourself and just see the finish line, you know?”
I nod. It is easy to get caught up in wanting to win, but deep down, I know I’d never cheat. If I cheated to get to the top, how would I know if I have what it takes?
“I’ll be honest, I thought about it,” Daphne confesses. “When we had time off, I went to Mood and bought some fabric and a few accessories. I didn’t buy them so I could use them to cheat. I wanted them for my own projects when I get back home. But before this happened with Sam, I kind of wondered if anyone would really notice if I snuck some in.”
Chloe by Design: Making the Cut Page 14