Hasta La Ideas

Project Runway fans will fondly recall the sixth season challenge that had the designer-contestants crafting dresses out of newsprint because, as Tim Gunn reminded them, “Fashion is news.” The episode also involved some on-deadline duplicity from one contestant, which led Gunn to proclaim, post-judging, “I am incredulous at that utterly preposterous spewing of fiction that Johnny [Sakalis] did on the runway.” Zing! But we digress. The Art Directors Club of Denver (ADCD) is once again bringing Project Runway-style creative feats to the masses with the seventh installment of its annual Paper Fashion Show.

“The ADCD Paper Fashion Show is like an event at the Art Olympics,” says Lonnie Hanzon, the first-place winner of last year’s show and a “wizard in residence” at the Museum of Outdoor Arts in nearby Englewood, Colorado. “It is the best place in Denver to showcase wildly creative work within very specific parameters.” This year’s participants will craft their fashions out of paper donated by Xpedx. On March 24, the looks will take to the runway and be assessed by a panel of judges that will award prizes to the top designs. The most crowd-pleasing look will take home the “audience favorite” honor. Part of the proceeds and auctioned fashion designs from the event will benefit Downtown Aurora Visual Arts, which provides after-school arts programs for at-risk youth. Designers, art directors, professionals in marketing and communications, and plain old fashion enthusiasts can register to participate in the Paper Fashion Show by February 18. In the meantime, get inspired by this footage from the 2010 event:

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