Louisville-born fashion designer Frankie Lewis glances at the floor of her Los Angeles studio and sees a pile of store-bought hair. "Boy that would look great on a dress," she thinks.
Wait, what? Hair on a dress? You bet.
Lewis is no stranger to unconventional materials. She has created dresses, skirts and gowns from items like mattress pad covers, wallpaper, soundproofing and those rubbery beige sheets of kitchen drawer liners — just to name a few.
Never one to shy away from an unusual creative choice, Lewis, who used braided human hair in a garment she constructed for the 2017 KMAC Couture: Art Walks the Runway Show, has always been game for out of the ordinary accessories, as long as they add to the beauty of her design.
This week her imagination, originality and talent will take center stage on Bravo's iconic televised reality fashion contest "Project Runway."
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"I’ve always dreamed of being on ‘Project Runway,’" Lewis said. "Seeing the designers challenge themselves and be put in crazy situations, it just looked like fun. And that's what I have promised myself. I will have fun."
Fun, for sure, but let's be honest. 'Project Runway' is a showstopper as far as a vehicle to launch a young designer's career.
Starting Thursday at 8 p.m., all of America gets a taste of the Louisville designer's genius as she steps into the “Project Runway” studio to compete on season 17.
Bravo has supersized the Emmy Award-winning show and refreshed the reality competition in several ways, including 90-minute episodes hosted by supermodel Karlie Kloss.
Lewis is one of 16 designers competing for the largest cash prize in the show’s history — $250,000. The winner will also get a feature in ELLE, and his or her own featured role in a Bluprint digital series, plus $50,000 to put toward their own design studio.
That's not all. Lewis will be mentored by former "Project Runway" winner Christian Siriano. And of course, she'll get an earful — both good critiques and bad — from the show's judges: Elle Editor-in-Chief Nina Garcia, fashion designer Brandon Maxwell and former Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Elaine Welteroth.
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It's all pretty mind-boggling when you consider that Lewis' career in fashion was not by design. While studying theater at the University of Louisville, a twist of fate lead her in a different direction.
"I planned on a career in acting," Lewis said. "But I needed some extra cash and I heard they were paying students to work in the costume shop — the problem was I had never sewn before so didn't think they would hire me."
Lucky for Lewis, the point of the program was to teach students to sew, no experience required.
"I discovered I love the instant gratification of creating something beautiful from a simple bolt of fabric," said Lewis, who was soon spending her time in the costume shop rather than the stage. "When I realized how quickly a costume could come together compared to the length of time it took to rehearse a play — I was hooked."
If her experience in U of L's costume shop turned her career plans in a new direction, an afterschool program located a few blocks away in Old Louisville nurtured her creativity.
The Cabbage Patch, an after-school program for at-risk kids, became a second home for Lewis and a place to explore new experiences. "I would go there every day after school starting in fifth grade," Lewis remembers. "I would do my homework, take drama and art classes. All my friends were there and I absolutely loved it."
Lewis has sewn together an impressive resume which includes working on costumes for singer Pink’s Beautiful Trauma Tour and the Louisville Ballet, as well as starting her own company — Ann DeEvelyn Clothing. She also found time to give back to Cabbage Patch by showing her latest fashion in shows which benefited the program.
Since making the move to the West Coast, Lewis has reimagined and renamed her company. "Frankie Lew" includes designs for all types and sizes of women including sexy, chic designs up to size 24.
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"Whether it's coats or dresses or jewelry, I just want to make clothes that make women smile and feel beautiful," she said. "As long as I am doing that, I am a success."
As Louisville gets set to follow Lewis on her "Project Runway" journey, don't forget we've had two other designers from our area who have competed on the show. Indiana native Gunnar Deathridge was a contestant on seasons 9 and 10 and Project Runway Allstars season 4. While attending duPont Manual high school, meanwhile, Zach Lindsey competed on the first-ever "Project Runway Junior."
Tune in to season 17 of "Project Runway" on Bravo starting Thursday at 8 p.m.
Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com or Twitter @kirbylouisville. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/kirbya.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/television/2019/03/12/project-runway-meet-louisville-fashion-designer-frankie-lewis/2982570002/
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