Chloe by Design: Measuring Up

by Margaret Gurevich

  “Another amazing thing about FIDM is our museum. It’s open to the public and totally free,” says Claire.

  “Unlike this school,” a dad in the group jokes.

  Claire looks at him and nods. “You’re right. This school has so much to offer. The fact that it’s so close to the movie and television industry in LA allows FIDM to bring in terrific industry professionals. We also have a great alumni program, and most of our students get jobs after graduation, but this is an expensive school.” She looks around and lowers her voice. “There is a lot of opportunity here, but if you’re comparing it to some other fashion schools, the price is more than double.”

  My heart sinks. We’re still working out how to pay for transportation to NYC for my FIT and Parsons tours, and that’s just two plane tickets. College tuition will cost way more.

  My mom looks at my sad face and then at Claire. “But you have programs that can help here, right? Financial aid and things like that?”

  “Yes! Definitely.” Claire looks relieved that my mom mentioned this. “The financial aid office is a great resource, and we offer scholarships. And students can also work to help pay for their education.”

  Hearing Claire’s assurances makes me feel a little better. I didn’t plan on working while I was in college, but it could be an option.

  Claire seems eager to change topics to something less stressful. “Let’s walk to the museum next,” she suggests. “The current exhibit showcases designs from Emmy-nominated shows.”

  When we enter the museum, I immediately think of all the fashion and entertainment magazines Alex and I read. She would love this place. I even recognize a few dresses from my favorite shows. One is from a creepy series Alex and I watch called Beneath the Ground. It takes place in an alternate universe, and the characters wear Victorian-inspired clothing.

  I recognize a dress from last season’s finale. It’s a red-and-white Georgian-style gown in cotton and satin with a matching choker. I take out my sketchpad and do a quick drawing so I don’t forget the small details. I want to try and sketch a more modern version when I get home. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice two other students on the tour doing the same. It might sound cheesy, but this makes me feel connected to them and this place even more.

  “Our last stop,” Claire announces, “is the annex.” She leads us back outside to where our tour began. This time we go past the courtyard and enter through the side of the building. “You might recognize this pool from our brochures, but it’s not really a pool.”

  I move closer to it. This close, it’s easy to see that the pool isn’t filled with water after all — it’s a sunken area covered with blue mats for lounging and studying. The pool is surrounded by a raised platform with laptop-equipped lounge chairs. It’s easily the coolest study area I’ve ever seen.

  “Who can see themselves sitting and sketching on these chairs?” Claire asks. We all raise our hands. “Then I’ve done my job,” she says with a smile. “It was great meeting all of you, and I hope you’ll apply.”

  When Claire leaves, my mother and I sit side-by-side on the lounge chairs. There are students around, but they don’t seem to mind us being here.

  “So what do you think?” Mom asks. “Do you like it?”

  I nod, still in awe. “I do. How can you not?”

  “Even I wanted to go to school here after that tour,” Mom says with a laugh.

  “It’s way more expensive than FIT, though,” I say.

  Mom nods in agreement, and I’m glad she doesn’t try to sugarcoat anything. “That’s something you’ll have to think about. If you went here, you’d most likely have to do the work-study program, which might be hard to balance while you’re studying.”

  “True,” I say. “Can we maybe think more about that later? Like after I’ve toured the New York schools? I just want to pretend anything is possible for a little while longer.”

  Mom smiles. “Sure,” she says. “I think you deserve that.”

  When Monday — the day of my Teen Design Diva gig — rolls around, I can tell my mom is glad it’s our last day in Los Angeles. The rest of the weekend flew by, and I could happily stay here longer, but the LA noise and activity has been getting to Mom. She needs a break. She says it’s even worse than New York.

  I kind of get what she’s saying. There seems to be more car congestion and traffic here. I’m fine with it, though. That’s what life in the city is like. But thankfully Mom will have the day to take it easy. She’s going to go check out a cute bookstore she found. It even has a small nook where customers can curl up on cushions and read.

  While Mom is resting, I’ll be in the conference room on the top floor of our hotel acting as guest judge. Just like during my time at Teen Design Diva, the producers are using the hotel to not only house the contestants but also as the workroom and studio for the competition. I wish I knew the theme of today’s challenge ahead of time so I could mentally prepare, but I’m guessing they want me to approach the task with fresh eyes.

  Since I don’t have to be on set for judging for another two hours, I have plenty of time to kill. I start by flipping through the full-color coffee table book in our room. It shows the hotel as it was in its early years, and how it was finally completed in 1925.

  Even though it’s been updated since then, the current owners have kept key pieces from the original building, including signed photos of famous movie stars. The hotel and our room have a very old-style Hollywood feel. Much of the décor is done in shades of burgundy and gold. Even the walls are burgundy. White moldings form a frame around the ceiling, and decorative gold swirls accent the corners.

  I finish flipping through the book and still have plenty of time before I’m due upstairs, so I head down to the lobby. The décor reminds me of the red carpet premieres I’ve seen on television. There are even velvet ropes in front of the check-in desk, and the walls are covered with black-and-white photos of old movies and movie stars.

  I spot an armchair that’s off to a corner and sit on it to sketch. I imagine the many people who’ve passed through this hotel in the past. Just then a woman approaches the front desk to ask about good places to eat. She’s wearing a strapless yellow knee-length dress with a ruffle along the bottom hem and red pumps. I pull out my sketchbook and do a quick drawing of her outfit. Her retro look would fit in perfectly with my vision of how the hotel would have looked back in the day.

  I like how the woman is dressed, but I decide to play with the design to transform it into something a bit more modern, making it my own. Rather than a retro, feminine dress, I draw a cool, modern jumpsuit, keeping the bright, bold yellow the same on both designs. I sketch quickly, adding a cowl neckline, beaded shoulders, and loose, drapey pants. I imagine the jumpsuit in a luxurious fabric like satin. Paired with a bold lip and a fun, feathered clutch, it would be the perfect outfit for a night out.

  I look at the two drawings side-by-side — the retro version and my modern twist — and wonder if there’s a way to add this dress to my portfolio. All the schools I’m applying to have different portfolio requirements, and while this doesn’t match any of them exactly, maybe there’s a way to make it work.

  I smile. It’s been a while since I sketched something just for the sake of sketching. Lately it feels like my portfolio is the only reason I pick up my pencils and sketchpad. It’s nice to have it be an afterthought rather than the reason I’m designing.

  I realize that’s one reason this whole college application process has been stressing me out so much. In the past, any time I’ve been upset, anxious, or overwhelmed, all I had to do was take out my sketchpad and draw something. By the time I was done, the bad feelings would have lessened or disappeared altogether, and I’d be able to face whatever lay ahead.

  These days, though, the college clock is ticking, and since each sketch is a portfolio necessity, there hasn’t been time to be creative on my own
terms. It’s been hard to fit in drawing for the sake of drawing. Designing is something I’ve always loved, but lately it’s become work.

  I check the clock. The producers don’t need me upstairs for another thirty minutes, but I know how cranky Jasmine — one of the Design Diva judges — can get when she thinks people are running late. It won’t hurt to get there a little early.

  I close my sketchpad, feeling lighter than I have in weeks. I remember how stressful being a Teen Design Diva contestant was. Maybe part of my role today will be to remind the designers not to forget why they wanted to be on the show in the first place. After all, it never hurts to have a reminder that what someone else thinks shouldn’t stop you from following your dream.

  “There she is!” Missy, another of the Design Diva judges, exclaims as soon as I open the door to the conference room.

  I had expected the room to have the same vintage feel as the rest of the hotel, but it looks more like a huge office. Even the carpeting is a drab, dark blue. The plus side is that there is tons of space for the design contestants to stretch out material and work. That’s more important than a pretty space.

  “Chic as usual,” says Jasmine, giving me air kisses on both cheeks.

  “Thanks,” I say. I try to keep my voice light and casual, so it doesn’t give away the fact that this is the third outfit I tried on before deciding it was the one. I always feel extra pressure to look good during Design Diva tapings. First, there’s the need to impress the judges. Then, I feel like I have to make a good impression on the contestants. If I don’t look like I know what I’m doing as a designer, they’ll ignore what I have to say. Last, there’s the whole being on television thing.

  I once read an article about the dos and don’ts of television appearances, and it gave a whole rundown of best colors to wear. White can make you look too bright, while black can make you look washed out. Patterns appear to vibrate on the screen, and red is a no-no because it bleeds into the screen. Pastels are best.

  It was a lot of rules to follow, but I worked hard to find the best outfit that was me but also worked on screen. The winner was a light blue chambray top with pale pink jeans. Metallic heels add some pizzazz.

  “Good to see you, Chloe,” Hunter, the final judge, greets me. “We have an interesting challenge ahead of us today. Any guesses as to what it’ll be?”

  I look around the room for clues. There are sewing machines, mannequins, and rolls of fabric in place. The fabric runs the gamut from solid pastels to prints to bright neon. Even with my experience as a contestant on the show and as a guest judge over the summer, there’s still no way to know. The task could be anything. But I know the challenges tend to run in the non-traditional direction.

  “Clothing inspired by your favorite prehistoric era?” I guess blindly.

  Missy laughs. “Not even we are that out there. Although, maybe we should be.”

  I think she’s kidding at first, but then she takes out a notepad and jots something down.

  “I’ll give you a hint,” Jasmine says. “It has to do with this hotel.”

  Of course! That would totally make sense. The judges always have a reason for what they do. When I was on Teen Design Diva, one task involved cupcakes that were wheeled into the colorful hotel lobby.

  “Hollywood-inspired designs?” I guess, thinking of the old Hollywood feel I picked up on earlier.

  “Close,” Hunter says. “Movie-inspired designs.”

  “That is fun! And much better than the challenge I had to do with Nina that involved using stuff from the hardware store.”

  Hunter chuckles. “We felt bad about that — kind of. Speaking of Nina, have you seen her around?”

  “We’re actually kind of friendly. Weird, right?”

  Missy raises an eyebrow at that. “A little, but promise me that when the two of you open your own boutique one day, you’ll credit the show for bringing you ladies together.”

  Now it’s my turn to laugh. “I promise. But I don’t see that happening.”

  Just then the doors open, and the contestants start filing in. Is it my imagination or do they look older than the group I competed with? They don’t look scared or nervous. I notice no one is hamming for the cameras, either. These contestants look so serious.

  “How long have you been taping?” I ask Hunter.

  “We’re already more than halfway done,” he replies. “Today we’ll be narrowing the eight contestants down to six.”

  That means they’re only one task away from the top five. At this point, the contestants probably know what to expect. They’ve probably also realized that even if they do their best, there’s no telling what the judges will say.

  “What’s this group like?” I whisper.

  “Very mature,” says Missy. “But also very no-nonsense. And they talk back a lot.”

  “That must be frustrating,” I say.

  “Sometimes,” Missy says, shrugging. “But it makes for good television, and isn’t that the point?”

  I thought the point was to be the best designer you could be, but I keep that thought to myself.

  Jasmine waits for everyone to get settled down. Then, she snaps her fingers and says, “Welcome!”

  A girl in a blue baseball cap and overalls actually rolls her eyes. If Jasmine sees this, she ignores it. I look around the room. Some of the designers have their eyes on Jasmine, while others are focused on the floor. A guy in a green fedora and paisley shirt is moving his fingers at his side like he’s playing air guitar. A guy in jeans and work boots is scowling at a girl with her hair in braids. Her long-sleeved tee with the word FOOTBALL in the center and black jeans with holes at the knees make me smile. The outfit reminds me of something Alex would have worn once upon a time. She smirks at the guy staring at her, and he scowls and turns away.

  “First,” Jasmine continues, “let me introduce our guest judge for the day, Chloe Montgomery, the first Teen Design Diva winner.”

  Pigtails Girl smiles at me. Fedora Guy stops playing his imaginary guitar and gives me a look of approval. Baseball Cap girl rolls her eyes again. At least she’s consistent. Some of the contestants clap, while the rest look like they couldn’t care less that I’m here. Maybe they don’t.

  The reaction makes me nervous, like I have to prove myself once again. I know it’s silly. I’m just here to help; I don’t have to put on some show. But I can’t help it. Maybe it’s the all-too-familiar environment, but it’s like I’m back on the show as a contestant again and stuck trying to make people believe I belong.

  Hunter motions to a box wrapped in gold paper that’s sitting on a nearby table. “You will each pick a slip of paper from this box,” he says. “It will tell you a movie title. Your job will be to create an outfit inspired by the movie you’ve chosen. Volunteers to go first?”

  Baseball Cap waves her hand in the air. For a change, she’s alert and interested.

  “Tina, come on up,” Hunter says to the girl.

  Tina runs up, closes her eyes, and puts her hand into the box. “101 Dalmatians,” she says with a sigh. And it’s back to sullen eye rolling.

  “Can I go next?” the girl with pigtails asks.

  “Here you go, Lexi,” says Hunter, shaking the box.

  “The Wizard of Oz!” Lexi says, clapping her hands.

  Fedora Guy — whose name turns out to be Peter — gets Finding Neverland, which I think is a good fit. Work Boots — also known as Lee — gets Men in Black. The other movies picked are The Devil Wears Prada, Star Wars, The Sound of Music, and Father of the Bride.

  “You have three hours,” Jasmine announces once all the movies are picked. “You may begin.”

  I expect the contestants to make a mad dash for the fabric and sewing machines, but instead they all take out their sketchpads and start drawing.

  “Wow,” I say. “That’s not how everyone reacted
during my season.”

  Missy shrugs. “I guess that’s what happens when they’ve seen two seasons of the show and kind of know what to expect.”

  “The designs are less entertaining,” Jasmine complains, pouting.

  “Not good television, huh?” I tease.

  “Exactly,” says Missy.

  The first hour is a little boring with the contestants all sketching and measuring. Just when I think they’re cutting it close, they start to gather fabric. Lee starts with black and metallic fabrics, and Peter picks green tulle and lace. Vicki, who got Star Wars, chooses muted colors like browns and khakis. Other contestants are clearly going for something a little more glamorous based on the lace, satin, and embellishments they’ve chosen.

  I walk around and am impressed with how quickly the designers are able to sew. I notice Vicki make a mistake with her stitching, but she quickly rips the thread and fixes the problem. The designers use their mannequins efficiently too, draping fabric, measuring there, cutting here, and adjusting the results — all within minutes.

  I walk up to Peter and watch him make a belt with the leather, velvet, and gold clasp. Then he uses a sheer fabric to create what looks like a bodice.

  “When I saw you choose the materials, I was thinking Peter Pan,” I say.

  “That would have been too cutesy given my name,” he says. “And too obvious given the film. I wanted something a little girlier too since this is my little sister’s favorite movie.”

  “That’s really sweet,” I say. “Good job so far.”

  I walk up to Lee. His Men in Black inspired design is less than endearing. I love metallic fabrics, but I’m not sure what he’s trying to do.

  “Can you tell me about your piece?” I ask him.