Embroidery Contests 2012

by Kelly

Hand and Lock embroidery contest for 2012. Open to students worldwide, including graduate and part-time. Submission must be an original work based on their list of three fashion trends  predicted for 2012.

First prize is $5,000 USD plus some extras, including publicity on their site. There is an entry fee required to register.

I thought their predicted fashion trends were interesting. Here is a brief rundown:

Faded summers -
Use faded colors and fabrics reminiscent of old postcards. Some of the suggested inspirations include 'Vintage street parties, bunting and national flags.' When I read this I couldn't help but think of the tomato hurtling celebration held in Spain every year. Hey, that's a street party, isn't it?


Association D'ermites - 
(hermit inspired) This category sounds a bit rambling, which I suppose is appropriate for a hermit lost in a hot, waterless desert, but basically you're supposed to use metallic blues and silvery colors to imitate a desert sky, or the reds and sandy colors of a desert sunset.




open mind -
basically a hodgepodge of fabrics and colors that 'refuses all dictates', so if you wanted to empty your scrap bag, this would be the category to use. Just so long as you maintain a 'restrained liveliness'.


As usual, I came up with a ton of ideas that would be quite neat to try, including a waterfall of stars over a desert landscape, which would fit the second category very well. Unfortunately, I have about five thousand other ideas that I'm working on at the moment, and don't meet the qualifications to enter this contest anyway, so if anyone would like to steal that idea for their submission, feel free. It could be truly beautiful, and people do say that the starry sky over a desert is breathtaking.

If you have a little free time, check out the description of categories here. (scroll down towards the bottom of the page). It's sort of amusing, and goes a long way towards explaining the odd designs I've seen on fashion show runways, if these are the kind of guidelines that designers are expected to follow.