Zuri Herrera
I’m a fashion designer and I have a small fashion brand called Girl Garden. I feel really drawn to costume design, art and fashion; I am following a path towards costume design. I try to enter art and fashion contests as often as I can, it’s hard to come by situations where only creativity matters and where you can truly choose what to do, with contests you’re also more open to trying new techniques and mediums and styles, because there’s no real risk involved, you can just have fun. Before designing this dress, I had been looking into butterflies, the endangered status of the monarch butterfly, butterfly sanctuaries and butterfly gardens so it felt like the best choice for monarch butterflies to be the source of inspiration. With this dress, I tried fabric painting for the first time, I also had to work around the shape of Monarch butterfly wings to create the skirt, which was really fun; the wings on the back almost look like a train. I had to practice with fabric scraps and paper before getting to the final shape, color and design, getting it wrong the first time was to be expected, I had to try multiple times to get it right. I’m glad I entered this contest, now I know how to paint on fabric, work with tiny dimensions and also had a lot of fun creating this dress, I’m really happy with how it came out.
Zuri Herrara
Judges’ Comment
Zuri brought nature to the viewers by drawing inspiration from the monarch butterfly. We were very impressed by the way she beautifully adopted the distinctive and intricate markings of the insect. Her attention to details, painting and sewing skills are highly commendable. The end product is nothing short of a stunning piece of art.
Michelle Deal
I am an adult collector of the Calico Critters and Sylvanian Families from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I love Steampunk and my creation idea is what I thought would be a Steampunk fashion for my Calico Critter.
Michelle Deal
Judges’ Comment
Michelle’s creation beautifully captured a modern Victorian vibe and very successfully put her adorable bunny in the limelight. We really love how she adorned her Calico Critter character with a striking steampunk top hat, layers of lace, modest long sleeves, an absolutely gorgeous brooch and a flamboyant skirt. The overall look is simply amazing!
Caroline Smith
I am a 16 years old from Ohio. I’ve always loved creating, and I recently got really into sewing a little over a year ago. I love the style and creativity of Calico Critter clothes, which inspired me to start making my own! My entry is one of my favorite dresses I’ve made, and I feel like it captures a nice summery, yet elegant feel.
Caroline Smith
Judges’ Comment
We very much love this pretty little sheep decked out in flattering summer glam. The flowery printed dress in pretty pastel shades, butterfly sleeves, lovely ribbons and laces, give a soft feminine touch. We love her choice of pearl buttons and the sweet earrings she created with golden bells and ribbons. They ooze an air of sweet elegance and make her Calico Critter character absolutely adorable.
Cesario Queiruga
I enjoy creating miniature art and I am intrigued by all the Sylvanian Families characters. Sewing for them give me so much joy and fun. My entry design was inspired by my country’s traditional Flamenco skirt.
Cesario Queiruga
Judges’ Comment
This little hedgehog definitely looks ravishing in this gown. We absolutely love the intricate sewing of the beads and the flouncy layers of ruffles. The glamourous style is never complete without something dazzling and we feel Cesario’s bold golden bow did a perfect job.
Jamison Fucks
I’m just a silly little guy who likes making silly little things for silly little critters. Alongside the dresses, I also handmade the trees and planters in the background.
Jamison Fucks
Jamison was meticulous in his design and was amazingly attentive in details; from the characters to the subjects in his background. We really love the beautiful headdress, the dainty pretty earrings and bracelet that make his Calico Critter characters so elegant and adorable. His choice of fabric definitely adds a sense of glam as well. On the whole, everything looks superb!
Ahn-Jong Park
I’m a Korean studying in Singapore. I really enjoy sewing and knitting since young. For this contest, I tried to create a sweet and princessy look for my squirrel as Cinderalla has always been my favourite fairy tale character.
Ahn-Jong Park
Judges’ Comment
We really love how Ahn-Jong’s little squirrel looks. Her magnificent creation bears a striking resemblance to the iconic blue ballroom gown worn by Cinderalla. We were especially impressed by the intricate patterns she created on her dress and how she combined knitting and sewing. Last but not least, her beaded headband is a lovely accent in creating that glamourous look that we were looking for.
Sabine Laframboise
I just picked up sewing and I love slightly sheer fabrics. I like my dresses to look glamourous, dreamy and fairy-like.
Sabine Laframboise
Judges’ Comment
Sabine’s bunny looks amazingly elegant in her champagne pink evening gown. Her stylistic mélange accentuate a lady-like charm and glamour, making her character shines among the contestants. We absolutely love her beautiful sweetheart neckline and her blanche lace bodice. A beautiful creation indeed! Well done!