Ready-to-wear

“Designers, gather ’round. This week we have a fabulous surprise for you. First, I’d like to introduce our special guest who will present today’s challenge and will be with us on the runway to help judge your designs. Designers, it is with great pleasure that I present….

Vivienne Tam!”

“Hello Tim. Hello everyone.”

“Hello!!”

“First of all I’d like to say how delighted I am to be here with you today. This time we have an amazing treat and challenge for you. We’re taking you on a whirlwind, world tour to get inspiration for this season’s vacation looks!”

“WOW, WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!”

“We’re going to focus on ready-to-wear. You can use anything you find in this week’s New York Times Magazines, including ready-made pieces to layer into your own looks for travel, and into your runway looks as well. The folks at The New York Times Summer Style Travel Magazine have kindly provided ready-to-wear outfits for you and your models for the trip!”

“INCREDIBLE!!”

“So, let’s get suited up so we’re ready to go.”

“Hmmmm, not your stylish best, but you do look kind of um, well, ready for adventure….”

“Oh, now these styles, on the other hand, are lovely!”

“Ok everyone, be sure to bring your drawing pads and cameras so you can collect plenty of ideas and materials, and then we’ll come back and create our collections.”

“Ok Tim and Vivienne, let’s go!”

Here’s the cover for May 23rd for The New York Times Magazine and for The New York Times Summer Style Travel Magazine.

“Our travels will take us to many countries.”

“We’ll see lots of colors and patterns.”

“We’ll eat fabulous food,

see pretty flowers,

and beautiful fashions.”

“And at the end of our tour we’ll spend an afternoon chilling at the beach, collecting our thoughts…

and then we’ll get down to business.”

…………..

“Designers, you’ve had a couple of extra days to pull your looks together, you’ve been to hair and makeup, you’ve sourced the accessories wall, and now it’s time for the show! Are you ready, Designers?”

“Yes!!”

“Ok, good luck, I’ll see you on the runway!”

“Well Designer, this is quite a show.”

“Thank you.”

“As far as ready-to-wear goes, the dragon dress is perfect, you barely altered it at all. The flower dress is good and the tile dress too, you really didn’t do much, just found them in among the patterns. Some of the others clearly required more work, so they weren’t exactly ‘off the rack’. What’s the story with the lobster dress?”

“I guess I was hungry.”

“Fair enough.”

“Well Designer….”

“Yes Vivienne?”

“There’s a lot of color up there. Personally, I’m responding to some of the more neutral pieces. I don’t know if you’ve seen my current collections but I used a lot of beige for spring and black for fall.”

“Yes, I was hoping that Mediterranean architecture dress had a kind of purity like some of your spring looks.”

“Thanks, yes, I liked it.”

“I liked the vintage crochet apron in the magazine which inspired my cover dress, and my first ever experience knitting lace socks this week, inspired the lace socks with the architecture dress.”

“Hmmm, interesting.”

“We think your dragon dress is the winner today, though it was hard to pick just one, and we like your own ensemble too. Good job.”

“Wow, thanks!”