Barb Wallace is one of 17 designers participating in this year’s High Ball Halloween Costume Couture Fashion Showdown.  I spoke with a very enthusiastic Barb Wallace about her many inspirations for this year’s four garments.  The crafty Wallace gathers mainly clothing from thrift stores around Columbus as a base for a garment.

“I have always used this style,” Wallace said.  “I see so much potential in every story!”  Wallace also searches for inspiration in magazines and incorporates them into her one of a kind thrifty design’s.  Wallace’s four pieces are designed around rocker yet feminine look incorporating studs, embellishments, chains, black skinny pants, ruffles, and other unique accessories.
Each designer is also creating a garment for the High Ball Costume Contest, which is open to the public.  Last year thousands of people created one of kind costumes that shocked even the most professional designers.

“It is so fun to see what everyone comes up with!” Wallace added.  “The costume I created for the costume contest is a juxtaposition of an industrial/organic look.  The look is inspired by a rooftop garden, a steel background with flowers cascading down the dress.” Wallace said.
Halloween is that time when you can let it all go! We are excited to see Barb’s designs, as well as the costumes from the rest of the designers.

Kevin Kerr is more than just a local Columbus designer involved in this year’s High Ball Halloween Couture Fashion Showdown.  Kevin is the winner of 2008’s HighBall designer competition. His gorgeous Winter Queen costume wowed the judges and stole the show. What’s he planning for 2009?

Kevin Kerr’s 2008 High Ball Couture Fashion Showdown Winning Design.

For this year’s runway collection…

His inspirations stem from 1960’s models and actresses: Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton, Veruschka.  Kerr’s garments are simple pieces with oversized handmade mod jewelry. Researching fashion and old magazines helped Kerr with his 1960’s inspired theme. “I think these looks might be the next big thing,” Kerr said.

For his Couture Costume…

All Kerr will reveal is: “The piece will be something exotic, bird like. I am currently searching for fabrics. It’s a work in progress!”

Hmmm. Sounds mysterious!

We asked Kevin what he is most excited about for High Ball and he responded: “The creativity is incredible. People who aren’t professionals come up with amazing things! It is so fun to walk around and look at everyone’s creations.”

Check out Kevin’s creations at HighBall Halloween’s, Saturday, October 31^st. The Costume Couture Fashion Showdown begins at 8pm on the Costume Specialties runway at 4th Ave and High Street under the Short North arches. See you there.

So HighBall is launched and now we set about making the vision reality. As a longtime event producer, I firmly believe every event should have key features that make it truly experiential. These features combine to become the signature, and differentiate it from all other events. They keep people buzzing for weeks or months after the event fades. For HighBall, there are many features, but the overarching (Short North pun intended) signature has to be its artistic creativity. HighBall will be an immersion in absolute fabulousness. It will be a celebration of Columbus’ creative class. It’s not the stereotypical witches, goblins and ghouls. It’s wow-factor, alter-egos, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and trick-or-treat “eye candy.” It’s simply fabulous.

Sometimes fabulousness isn’t easy. In fact, it can be downright arduous. But I so admire the people who decide to invest the effort because they live for the fabulous moments. They invest their art and soul into a project because they want to create an experience for themselves and for all those around them. That artistic drive is at the heart of HighBall. And it is what will make HighBall different than anything out there.

Today, here’s the story behind the couture costume fashion showdown… this is a competition for professional fashion designers and design students. Each contestant will present 3-4 items from his/her collection and add a HighBall couture costume to the set. Then they will hit a 40 foot runway staged in the middle of High Street. Thumping music, struttin’ models, a wild audience, and 4 decision-making judges. The incomparable Nina West, drag queen extraordinaire and 2008 National Entertainer of the Year, will be our celebrity emcee for this fierce fashion showdown. Someone will be crowned HighBall couture costume designer of the year and receive a $1,000 prize package… and, of course, ultimate bragging rights. More so, perhaps, all the designers will have an awesome platform to share their creativity, both in their signature collections and in their couture costumes, with an audience of influential and inspired fashion fanatics… Columbus’ creative class.

Our first two enthusiastic partners are Kelli Martin (a recent participant on Project Runway and founder of AntiLabel), and Esther Chung. Both have design businesses in Columbus, and both have a passion for the expressiveness of Halloween. If you are interested in being a spotlighted designer in the heart of the couture costume fashion showdown, drop me an email at johnangelo@shortnorth.org or give me a call at 614.299.8050 x13… and help spread the word.

Next time, details on the costume contest (for the general public) and on the dogtober halloween procession.

Ciao for now.