Prom Dress Design Competition, Best Entries

Our Prom Dress Design competiton 2017 has now closed and here are some of our favourite entries. 

We will give feedback on all the designs and whilst judging, we will consider presentation, the design concept, production practicality, styling and creative flare.

Thank you all for entering the competition, we were so impressed by the overall effort everyone made with their designs. Please look through our favorite entries and read our initial feedback. I wish we could make all of these dresses! We will announce the winners on the 14th March and will also contact you individually. 

Thank you again to all who supported the competition, local schools, Mid Somerset News, local businesses in Wells and The Subhouse, Wells. 

Thea Grace Callaghan, Wells Cathedral School

I love the 1950s styling and sillhouette of this design and the colour choice. I could see this working really well on the red carpet, its very elegant and glamorous. The fabric choice will work well for the bust and sleeve design and the beading is a lovely detail bringing in a hint of the 1930s style. The choice of chiffon as a whole for the dress may need to be compromised with cut. Chiffon is great for draping and bias cut designs where heavier fabrics such as velvet lend well to more structured designs. This would need to be decided upon if the dress were to be made. 

Sophie Huges, Kingsoak Academy Bristol

This design is very wearable and I love the crop top design with the full skirt, and pockets! The design is young, fresh and has a element of fun. The colour initially made me think of the dress to be made in denim which I really liked but would also work perfectly in a silk taffeta. Great communication via the three aspect illustration too. 

Sherry Deng, Cardiff College

I love the elegance of this design, the detailing is exquisite. The design would be perfect on a couture catwalk immediately set my imagination off with embroidery and hand painted techniques to use to create the detailing over the bodice and skirt. This may be a costly design due to the craftsmanship and fabrics needed to create the gown. The design presentation is very good including the headpiece detail for styling. Would really like too see this dress made reality.

Morwenna Lewis, Wells Blue School

Beautiful design presentation with lots of detail to communicate exactly how the dress with be made and why. I really like the colour choice of grey and gold and the cut of the dress. Subtle and original. The embroidery and beading may be a labour intensive aspect of the design to consider, a gold lace may work well instead. A very wearable design with elegance and modernity that would look stunning in the chosen chiffon fabric.

 

Martha Luke, Priory School, Weston Super Mare

A really lovely presentation with lots of ideas and detailing to communicate the prom dress design. The main design is a very wearable, flattering cut and I love the belt option details to be beaded. It is always difficult to choose just one colour, cut etc. but making a firm decisions does make each design stronger. I could see this looking elegant and very beautiful as a prom dress, especially in the black or cinderella blue.

Lucy Philips, Wells Blue School

I love this as an illustration alone and the design is very much our style. (Not that, that means anything in this competition!) The cut of the dress is very pretty and the colours are opulent and romantic without being too 'Disney'. If only Cinderella got to wear this dress! The use of graduated gold beading and lace detailing is carefully considered design wise, as is the neckline. The embellishment may be very labour intensive and would advise looking at alternative options in this area . Great detail of the gold underskirt, the only question would be the main fabric. 

Laura Harmer, Norton Hill School

This is a very concise design, lovely and clear and so romantic in styling. This is a great presentation that could easily be taken straight into production and with a pretty colour pallet all set out. The choice of fabric is perfect for the design and delicate sequin detailing just the right amount of embellishment. Would make a beautiful prom dress.

Heather Gomm Churchill Academy

I love this shorter dress design for prom and pleats are always gorgeous. This design is modern and fresh and would be great in a light chiffon. The bodice has a lingerie style with cupped bust which is current and feminine and I like the double layering with contrasting straps. The detailing is suitably delicate in keeping with whole design. It reminds me of vintage slip dresses worn in the 90s with white vests, the styling possibilities could be amazing on this dress. Things to consider would be to bring the blue to the hem continuing the layering effect.

Hannah Levett, West Somerset College

A really strong prom / evening dress design with modern styling. The use of lace in the back for detailing is in keeping with a sportier design and clean lines. The thigh high split is great with the flare of the skirt and the pleated neckline again finishes the design with bold lines. There could be many options for fabric but something modern would be good. 

Grainne White, Wels Cathedral School

Simple and elegant, the design is clear and I love the idea of this dress being in pale pink. Suede is an original option for this dress and I like the use of a classic design with a less obvious fabric choice. This could be a stunning dress in reality with lots of styling options.

Eloise Yeadon Caiger, Blue School

A great presentation with lots of information and fabric detailing. A powerful design mixing modern and ancient styles with a strong colour palette of dark red and metallic silver giving a luxurious opulent feel. A definite red carpet design with real wow factor. 
Things to consider would be the centre keyhole over the bust and exact shape of the dress as a whole to the hem. 

Elysia Hickery, Stanwell School, Penarth

A classic elegant design. I love the Old Hollywood style of the off the shoulder sweetheart bodice and nipped in waist. The skirt gives a modern twist with a full length split and that gorgeous lace detailing hidden inside the split. Things to consider would be fabric to be used. Would look stunning at prom.

Emilia Perrone, Blue School

A really wearable, attractive design for any formal occasion. I love the lace detailing running down the front of the bodice and highlighting the waist. Combined with a chiffon would be a light, feminine dress. A clear presentation with annotation that would allow a smooth production.Things to consider would be the entire dress with hem, a small train as described would be beautiful and the exact shade of red, as this could make all the difference. 

Elizabeth Stephens, Blue School

A wonderfully creative presentation, a whole painted collection. Each dress a lovely thought out design and they all work well together as a collection. Would be great to make for a whole group! I love that each design is annotated and described with fabric choices, considering affordability and inspirations. Shows a clear understanding of cut and fabric drape. It would be difficult to choose just one. Things to consider textures of fabrics. 

Elise Partridge, Wyedean School

A great red carpet, prom dress design. Very elegant with sequin detailing with the added off the shoulder line of the sheer sleeves. A strong design that is equally feminine but not fussy or frothy. Would need to consider the fabric choice but I love the simplicity and sparkle of this design that would be very wearable. 

Daisy Finch, Shapwick School

Such a feminine romantic design with that beautiful flowing skirt, you can just imagine wearing it. A beautiful painted presentation with clear details. Consideration of the skirt material would be important. I love the sheer illusion of the skirt with a mini underskirt giving a modern twist to a ballgown design. Lace is a great choice for the bodice.

Chloe Shortman, Redland School Bristol

A clear presentation with lots of detailing on how the dress should be made. I love the colour choice of black with a blue for the detailing and the shaping the design. Things to consider would be the splits at the front and how they would fall and the detailing. Gorgeous bodice and cut with off the shoulder and full length sleeves. This could be a great dress in reality. 

Charlotte Lucas

I love this presentation, our only digitally drawn design. And what a wow design, this would be stunning on the red carpet or on the couture runway. A strong design in red with asymmetric cut showing off the figure and one shoulder of chiffon. This would be so much fun to work on. Things to consider would be careful styling on such a dramatic design.

Cerys Jones, Cantonian School, Cardiff

I love this colour pop graphic design for a prom dress. Cute and wearable and modern. The colours are bold and blocky to stand out, it would look amazing in a music video. Things to consider would be the fabric and exact bodice construction. Clear presentation, would like a little more detail but a really strong design.Would be very fun to see and wear in reality.

Catrin Brooke, Wells Blue School

A beautiful presentation with the design from all angles. All the information we would need to make the dress. I love the champagne colour choice and 1920s/30s Old Hollywood influences for styling, perfect fabric choice of silk satin. Things to consider would be the cut of the bodice at the side of the body and how it would fit to the body. This would be a stunning dress in reality cut on the bias.

Bleu Glover, Ansford Academy

A really lovely simple design with fifties styling and a very wearable cut. Clear and concise presentation with details of colour and underskirts. I really like the fine strap design that would work well. Things to consider would be the design of the back of the bodice and the fabric type. Would be a really great dress, especially for dancing in!

Amelia Frost, Blue School

A dream prom dress and proper ballgown design with that beautiful full skirt in pale pink. I love the design and cut of the bodice with the fullness of the skirt and simplicity with no detailing which would have been to much. This shows a great understanding of when to step back. And the pockets allowing for casual feel to this very formal dress. Things to consider would be on how this dress would be styled working with the pale pink to avoid it looking too sweet. This could be a really striking dress in reality.

A really lovely sketch and great to see black being used. Its such a classic. 

I really like the use of sheer sleeves and understated plan for the beading in a matching colour to the dress. Things to consider would be the styling of the dress and fit to balance the elegance with something striking. 

Abi Homewood

A clear presentation with lots of details annotating the design. I love the idea of gold leaf patterning with white chiffon for Grecian goddess design. The skirt is really interesting with the decorative underskirt and floaty overlay. Things to consider would be the design at the back of the bodice. Would be really lovely to see the real dress.

Amy Dixon,Wellsway School, Keynsham

Great, professional presentation with a beautifully drawn design. Slinky and feminine with delicate detailing of the lace over the bodice. Very good consideration of how the dress will fit at the back. Things to consider would be the styling of the dress when worn and exact fabric. Would be stunning on the red carpet.

Millie Robson, Haberdashers Monmouth School

A really elegant design with classic styling and clear presentation. The neckline choice is really beautiful and full length sleeves balances the modesty with the thigh high split. Great consideration of fabric. More things to consider would be the keyhole detail in the back and whether to be bolder with the colour. Would be a really wearable gown, fit for any formal occasion.   

Tilly Joyce, Oxford High School

This entry has just arrived after being very lost in the post. Worth waiting for and included in our favourites. The presentation is great with a cut out paper doll style design with a great description of fabrics and detailing. The choice of black velvet is beautiful and I love the stars, very 1950s Charles James. Things to consider would be the sleeves, are the needed or do they need simplifying to make more wearable. A really well thought out design that would be a dream dress.