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“MAKE IT WORK”
Metro Detroit Fashion Design Challenge

Ten excited designers gathered July 15th at Haberman Fabrics for their Challenge assignment, as done on Project Runway.

Each Finalist must design and construct this garment for the "MAKE IT WORK" Metro Detroit Fashion Design Challenge runway finals on Tuesday, August 1 at 7 p.m at Haberman Fabrics. A Huge Prize awaits the "MAKE IT WORK" winner. (Click here to read about the Prizes.)

Meet the 10 Finalists
	MARY CATHERINE BUCHANAN, 26, Ann Arbor Associates degree from Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in San Francisco. Working on a Bachelor's degree from Eastern Michigan University. Worked for Jessica McClintock. Works for Maggie's' Organics in Ypsilanti, in design and product development.
	SAMANTHA BULLOCK, 28, Detroit Originally from New Hampshire. Director of Pure Detroit Design Lab and board member of the Detroit Fashion Incubator Clothing line label: D.S. Bullock Learned to sew from her mother, a costumer. Started sewing at 7 years old. Started her first online clothing line in high school.
	ERICA CHASCO, 22, Huntington Woods B.S. Michigan State University, Associates degree from F.I.T. Knew from a very young age that this is what she wants to do.
	ANASTASIA CHATZKA, 23, Chesterfield Current student at IADT (International Academy of Design and Technology) Internship with Betsy Johnson in New York. Winner of the DIA "Ruff and Reddy-to-Wear" competition Winner of student category in "Artrageous", Fan Club Fashion for the Arts design competition
	BEULAH COOLEY, mid-50's, Detroit Mississippi native. Worked in fashion all her life, winning her first design award as a teenager in high school. Has participated in Ebony Fashion Fairs. Her designs are available at Offin Rivers, Detroit 313-870-1630; J. Ann Sha, Ferndale 248-547-1601; and Alle Rue, Saugatuck 269-345-0603 Received publicity in the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press and Ebony Magazine.
	MAISHA DAVIS, 33, Southfield Business Degree Northwood University. Followed by AIU fashion school in Atlanta. Did fashion styling and design in Atlanta and Los Angeles in the music and movie industry. Design assistant for Eduardo Lucera in Los Angeles
	JASON HUMPHREY, 30, Detroit Wayne State University graduate. Started draping clothing as a 7-year-old in Kentucky.
	SARAH LAPINSKI, 28, Detroit BA Wayne State University's College of Urban, Labor and Metro Affairs: studied urban planning Self-taught sewer & designer Met Sarah Lurtz through the Pure Detroit Design Lab and partnered for their menswear line, "Wound": www.woundsofsarah.com
	MICHELLE ARIEL SANDERS, 23, Canton Graduated from Michigan State University. Degree in Apparel & Textiles, Minor in Fine Arts Learned to sew from her mother, a professional seamstress
	MICHAEL DELON WILSON, 25, Detroit Started his clothing line in August 2001. Freelance styling design work in Chicago. Director Re-Fashion Detroit Project. Active in the Detroit Fashion Incubator. One of the first designers with the Pure Detroit Design Lab. www.micheldelon.com

THE CHALLENGE ASSIGNMENT

"Your girlfriend is a television reporter who will be covering the 36th Annual Fash Bash® DIA fundraiser on August 26. A Tahari fashion show is featured in the gala evening. Your friend wants you to make her dress or ensemble. Her look is upscale and stylish, but her limited budget makes this a creative challenge for you."

Three fashion celebrities, representing design, marketing and media, will judge the results basing their decisions on these five criteria: originality of design; quality of construction and fit; appropriateness of fabric selected for the garment; marketability; and how well the garment meets the design challenge.
(Click here to read about the Judges.)

To make the Challenge fair, each designer has a Haberman Fabrics $100 Gift Certificate to spend on all of the materials and trims that are visible on the garment.

Who will be in and who will be out?