Over the past few years, the Bay area has seen a proliferation of artsy fashion shows — particularly those that blend music with visual art exhibits and apparel, and those proudly proclaiming a do-it-yourself or recycled aesthetic — but the Dunedin Fine Art Center's annual Wearable Art event remains the gold standard. (Though the Ybor-based Dirty But Sophisticated show gave it a respectable run for its money earlier this year.) At WA, the outfits on display really do ascend to the level of art — and, certainly, they demonstrate meticulous craftsmanship — in a spectacular manner that other events have tried and failed to replicate.
The fourth installment of the show features an even bigger runway set up in a space that can accommodate upwards of 800 people; before and after parties at the DFAC; live music by Bradenton band Have Gun, Will Travel; drag queen Natasha as emcee; and nine talented artist-designers exhibiting their outrageous creations. WA4 aspires to be the best one yet, but be warned: The local crowd turns out in droves for this event, so it's not the place to arrive fashionably late; you might not make it inside, if past years are any indication.
Naturally, the revelation of Wearable Art is discovering how many talented fashion designers, or designers-in-training, the Bay area boasts. (And credit for thrusting them into the limelight goes to curator Kaya Parwanicka.) Along with more seasoned practitioners, the show includes a sampling of up-and-coming talent from the International Academy of Design and Technology, like Courtney Davis and Jennifer Stachon, whose confection-themed clothes take inspiration from cupcakes, cotton candy and Twizzlers. Among the veterans I count Rogerio Martins, though he's still a student at IADT. At last year's WA, he wowed the audience with beautiful outfits made of dried rice and beans, chili peppers, lamp shades and other repurposed materials. This year, in addition to dresses made of bottle caps and plastic bottles, he plans a dress crafted of raw meat and ham.
In comparison, Tampa designer Ben Chmura's sleek frocks might seem downright conventional because they're made of natural fabrics like silk, impeccably tailored and appropriate for cocktail party wear (though a meat dress would no doubt make an impression at any soiree). Behind the tidy pin-tucked fronts and sexy cut-out backs lies a link to ancient Aztec cultures, which inspired Chmura to incorporate vivid colors like blood red and subtle geometric patterns into the dresses. While many of the offerings at WA emphasize their art bona fides over the wearable factor, Chmura's dresses scream "Rip me off that skinny bitch and put me on." (Just kidding, models!)
But not all WA4 participants regard themselves as fashion designers. Mark Byrne, whose contribution to the runway show consists of five outfits constructed from inflated balloons, earns his living performing as a magician and "balloon artist" at restaurants around the Bay area (from Lenny's in Clearwater to Monster Pizza in St. Pete Beach and Bellisimo Ristorante in Westchase). His foray into garments made of balloons began at an international conference in Shanghai last year, where he participated in a competition of elite balloon artists from around the world. From a sweeping red balloon ball gown to a balloon bikini — and another outfit that Byrne himself will model — he has stretched the limits of a single, unconventional medium for his contributions, all of which were created specially for the event. Add in a few pins, and you have a recipe for naughty fun.
And then there's Frank Strunk III. It would be impossible to talk about Wearable Art without mentioning the sculptor whose adept touch with metal, translated into unusual outfits modeled by buff babes, has become one of the annual event's most powerful draws. This year, Strunk's garments, which were never modest, have become even more revealing: picture dainty-yet-fierce thongs and bras made of carefully wrought aluminum. (As a result, some of his models will don black unitards under their metallic apparel to avoid excessive exposure.) For the grand finale (both of his collection and the entire show), Strunk has departed from his love of aluminum — lightweight and relatively painless to wear for the models, who are bolted into their outfits — in favor of brass and bronze. A sun goddess outfit, complete with a skirt and flaming crown in the fiery-toned metals, includes a bra made of two bulbous police sirens. To see the fully-functioning effect, you'll just have to join the crowd.
This article appears in Aug 13-19, 2008.