Belizean fashionista sews her way to catwalk

Last week we told you about local fashion designer, Rebecca Stirm, who is making waves in a regional fashion design reality series, Mission Catwalk. In the second episode and first judged challenge last week, Stirm won with a Belize-inspired dress. She has once again captured the eyes of the judges in the third round to be aired tonight on TVJ in Jamaica. Stirm placed second to Jamaican designer, Crystal Powell with a design she says is a bold and independent look. The judges said that the piece “worked and was detailed and sophisticated.” The contestants on the show had to create a modern garment inspired by the 1920’s ‘flapper’ era. The flapper dress was characterized by a straight, loose fit with a dropped waist, sleeveless and embellishments that would give the illusion of “flapping” while dancing. The 1920’s was a time of liberation for the flapper woman, who would dress in short skirts, bobbed their hair, and dismissed social and sexual norms of the day. In episode four, the remaining designers will design a garment around a selection from Cinderella Hats.  In the finale, three finalists will design an entire collection worth three million Jamaican dollars or close to seventy thousand Belize dollars in prizes including the opportunity to show at London Fashion Week 2012.