Fashion designers find inspiration in classical music

The buzz began when patrons entered the Symphony Hall lobby and saw a young woman modeling an evening gown designed by fashion student JanFrevic Lujares of Brockton.

“It’s stunning and quite impressive,” said Susan Wallace of Kingston. “The mix of teal and green is unexpected and the pleated work on the bodice is great.”

Wallace then admired the fashions of 10 more designers from Greater Boston fashion schools, who were selected to compete in Project Debussy, a fashion contest last Thursday run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Each student designed and made a piece of evening wear inspired by the music of Claude Debussy.

All the dresses will be displayed for the public in the center court of Copley Place from today through Feb. 16. The designers and judges will attend the unveiling ceremony tonight from 6:30 to 7.

Lujares, 21, a Brockton High graduate and student at Mass College of Art and Design, interpreted Debussy’s “Reverie” with a green-pleated bodice and a full teal skirt that seems to cascade with flowers.

“The music is very smooth and serene, until the pace picks up,” said Lujares, who traveled to New York City to find the 13 yards of fabric he used for the skirt. “I didn’t expect that, and I wanted to highlight this dramatic moment.”

Project Debussy is the fourth fashion competition sponsored by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, following Projects Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. After the modeling, the BSO played a concert that included Debussy’s “Le Mer.”

“It’s a way to celebrate the fusion between fashion and classical music and expose younger people to classical music,” said Kathy Benharris, a fashion consultant who produced the event for the BSO. “And it brings beautiful fashions to one of our most beautiful performance halls.”

At a post-concert reception on Thursday, the judges’ winner and the people’s choice winner were announced. More than 1,000 people voted on paper ballots at Symphony Hall and on Facebook and Twitter.

Judges’ winner Kowoon Jeong, of The School of Fashion Design, was inspired by “Reverie” to capture Debussy’s “dark yet playful beauty.” Jeong, of South Korea, created a purple-on-black form-fitting dress with intricate pleating above the knee and foulards at the neck and the back with a cascade of chiffon.

Jeong’s design will be featured in a full-page spread in the April issue of Boston Magazine. Additionally, she received $1,000 from the French Cultural Center of Boston and a piece of diamond jewelry from Hearts on Fire.

People’s choice winner Teresa Calabro, of New Hampshire and Fisher College, was inspired by the romance in “Claire de Lune.” She hand-sewed several hundred circular flowers of navy silk organza and hand-stitched them, descending from small to large, to an A-line satin skirt. She received a sewing machine, gift party and gift certificate.

“The silk flowers flutter with each step, just as the notes of Claire de Lune rise and fall in smooth succession,” Calabro wrote in her artist’s statement. “Each flower represents the singular piano strokes, coming together to create a beautiful whole.”

The judges included Catheline van den Branden, executive director of the French Cultural Center, fashion designer Sara Campbell, Alan Bilzerian, owner of the Alan Bilzerian clothing boutique, and Althea Blackford, executive producer and host of “Style it Up.”

The criteria included how well the designers executed their sketches, craftsmanship, and style.

“A fashion competition is such a subjective event,” Benharris said. “But I believe that ultimately Kowoon’s dress won because of its overall exquisiteness. The fabrics she chose were not easy to work with, the hand work was painstakingly finished, and the overall construction was in every way incredible.”

Jody Feinberg may be reached at jfeinberg@ledger.com.

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