Rock The Runway is a highly anticipated event every year, and this year's event didn't disappoint. With the exciting props, live band and Marie Antoinette-inspired designs, the show kept audience members on the edge of their seats.
The show started off with a live band playing and a video that introduced the two emcees, Paul and Tessa, who were getting pumped and excited for the show. After the introduction that revealed judges Jason Brewer, Tad Boetcher and Donald Shingler, the introduction of the grand prize followed: a chance to have the winning line shown at Fashion Week Cleveland is what all these designers were fighting for.
Models wore an array of different designs from the designers that encompassed different elements of the Marie Antoinette era. Each line had its own spin.
The hairstyles caught the attention of audience members as the models made their way down the catwalk. Some scenes displayed feathered head pieces contrasted against platinum blond hair. The make-up had many of the models looking like porcelain dolls to resemble the era or scary dolls to represent the death of Marie Antoinette.
The intermission consisted of video that interviewed all the participants in a humorous way that kept the audience’s attention while the judges deliberated. The top five designers were chosen carefully, and the other competitors were asked to leave the stage while the top five could get ready for their live critique by the judges.
After a lengthy process, the top three designers were named:
Deanna Turcotte, with her line Voltaire’s Fantasy, received third place.
Deanna First and Jessica Smith, a duo, received second place.
The winner of first place prize was sophomore Sarah Ineson with her line Opulent Gold. The line included a floor-length dress with intricate hand-embroidering on the back. The dress had very distinct detailing, and that was possibly a determining factor in the award. In addition to Ineson’s first place win, she receives the chance to show her line at Fashion Week Cleveland later this year.
Check out our photos from the show, taken by Kathryn Sumpter:
