Vintage cars inspire fashion collection

A small audience caught a glimpse at what is created when vintage inspiration and fashion collide Saturday afternoon at Willkie Auditorium.\nFashion design major Jill Hutcherson presented her senior line, titled "No Turn on Red" inspired by 1930s and 1940s vintage cars. The collection consisted of various fabrics and colors that enhanced sex appeal and the vintage theme remained. \n"She was very good at taking an inspiration and applying it to the design," said apparel merchandising professor Kathleen Rowold. "If she would have taken it literally, it would have looked silly, but the design lines were more inspirational like the curve of the fender." \nThe collection, which included 13 looks out of the 15 required to graduate from the Individualized Major Program in fashion design, included dresses in colors taken from 1930s and 1940s cars. There was a black velvet sunsuit with decorative seams and maroon velvet just above the model's bottom. One model wore gray metallic shorts with lace trim and a red and black crushed velvet twisted wrap. \n"She has a wide range of fabrics -- from stretch velvet to silk," Rowold said. "Automobiles being the inspiration led to classic lines." \nA canary yellow silk charmeuse dress with black round side inlays and a red tricot cowl neck dress with black inlays also graced the stage. The red dress showed off Hutcherson's skill and knack for creating clothes with subtle sexuality.\n"I loved the red dress with the cowl neck," said Mary Grusak, assistant professor of music and regular costume department supervisor. "I think she did a really good job combining her influence. Technically, she is very skilled as far as sewing and pattern making. She makes sure everything looks exactly how she wants it to. She doesn't compromise her technical skills."\nElegance pervaded the show with a black and gold dress that had a knee-length gold skirt and gold crisscross at the waist over a black top. Other looks included a black and white hounds tooth jacket and skirt with black trim, cream slacks paired with a blue and white striped blouse with ruffles on the collar and sleeves and a silver and rose crinkle pleated dress with silver on the front and rose on the backside that went into a sheer open back. Hutcherson said she was inspired by the woman who created many styles for the silver screen in the 1930s and 1940s. \n"I am inspired by Edith Head," Hutcherson said. "I love old movies and I love vintage." \nThough many of the looks stood out as vintage, it was a more modern-looking black backless dress with a sheer angular skirt that showed off Hutcherson's creativity and skill that got all the praise. \n"I thought it was beautiful," said senior Kristen Tharp. "I loved the black dress with the white jacket ... it was stunning." \nThough many of the past IMP fashion design students used pieces they created for classes throughout their four years, each piece in Huctherson's line was newly created for the show. \n"I worked hundreds and hundreds of hours on the show," Hutcherson said. "I started in May of last year and this has definitely been an experience." \nHutcherson said she wants to design professionally and has no preference regarding which designer she works for. \nAt the end of the show, like the cars that inspired her senior collection, all Hutcherson could say was, "Whew -- that went fast"