Costume-Con 34 Future Fashion Event

The Future Fashion Folio & Show is an event in three parts. The basic idea for a Future Fashion originated in 1958 and it has been a part of Costume-Con in some permutation from the beginning.

The Future Fashion Folio is COMPLETE. No more submissions can be taken for Costume-Con 34, so interested designers should look into submitting designs for Costume-Con 35 being held in Toronto, ON in 2017.

As always there may be some variations to the standard format so please read all of the directions & rules.

 The first part: Future Fashion Design Contest

The Design Contest is open to everyone; you do not have to have a membership to the actual convention, be affiliated with any organized costuming group or even be a costumer.

You will not have to construct the garment you design so are not restricted to existing materials or techniques, natural or physical laws. Of course wearability would certainly affect whether your design might be chosen by a potential creator for the Show – remember most of our members are human.

We would like a wide variety of designs so below you’ll find a list of possible categories. Let them be an inspiration to you, this is not a limited list but a jumping off point. We will create categories to fit what we receive not the other way around.

Children’s Wear • Teens Wear • Couples • Day Wear • Workwear • Business / Occupational Wear •Formal / Evening Wear • Court Wear • Ceremonial or Religious Wear • Bridal Wear / Wedding Wear • Accessories (shoes, jewelry, etc.) • Ethnic Outfits • Festival Wear • Pseudo-Historical • Hostess Wear •Leisure Wear • Lingerie • Maternity Wear • Entertainers (singers/actors/dancers/musicians) •Heavy Worlders (higher gravity/larger body types) • Sports Wear (including sports not yet invented) •Uniforms (civilian or military, every day or dress)

You may submit as many designs as you like, whenever you like, multiple times if you like. You can even start now!! But the deadline is October 15, 2015. Design submission rules are below, please read them all before submitting your designs.

 The second part: Future Fashion Folio

All submitted designs will be reviewed by a judging panel who will decide what will be included in the Future Fashion Folio.

Designs that have been accepted for the Folio will be organized into a PDF file just as if it were a printed Folio. Recipients may opt to print the entire file or portions thereof if they desire. The Fashion Folio will be distributed to members and designers electronically as a PDF file. A link to the download will be emailed upon completion.

I hope to have the entire thing ready to go just after the holidays so folks will have plenty of time to make and construct their choices for the Show. Once the Folio is complete the next steps in the process go to the Future Fashion Show Director.

The Rules:  (everybody has to have some)

Disclaimer: Many of our rules are typical & the same as have been used every year for Costume-Con. There are some significant changes, addition & definitions that you’ll need to pay attention to – they are italicized throughout and in most cases marked with ***. Please pay attention to these as they may be new to you even if you’ve participated in past Folios. These rules are derived from those prepared for CC25.

1. All designs must be ORIGINAL IDEAS. You can draw your designs on a traced figure or have someone else draw it for you, but the design must be original. Please give credit to anyone who helps you. Need croquis (figures to draw on)? Try these sites:www.alleycatscratch.com/ffashion/Figures.htm
   www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00147.asp
2. Designs may be submitted three ways: 
   1. Hard copy (aka: the old-fashioned way, on paper); all designs must be on white 8.5″ x 11″ (or A4) paper, photocopied *(not scanned & printed from your home computer), black & white line art.*
   2. On CD; you may scan your designs at home & put the files on a disk. *You may use any image format you desire, scanned (NOT photographed) at no less than 300 dpi & no more than 600 dpi. Use the same definition of line art as for hard copies.*
   3. *By e-mail; you may send your designs as attachments to an e-mail. One design (with text file) per e-mail, JPEGs only between 300 & 600 dpi. Again use our standard definition of line art.*
      Submit these to: [Removed]
   4. *Definition: Line art – black ink on white background; not pencil, no shading, no colors. Include sufficient room around the image so the design doesn’t run into the margins.See item #5 below for labeling & text file requirements & item #6 for naming conventions.
3. DO NOT SEND US ORIGINAL ARTWORK. All designs should be photocopies or some graphic format.
4. You may, and we encourage you to, submit designs in color. But we require a black & white line art copy of your design for reproduction in the Fashion Folio. Please make sure your drawings are neat and will reproduce well. This includes electronic format drawings. (See Definition: Line art 2.iv above) If you do send us color versions DO NOT use anything that requires spray fixative or that may smear, smudge, stick or flake off on other people’s drawings.
5. Labeling & text file requirements
   1. Your name and address MUST be marked clearly on the back of EACH AND EVERY design sheet submitted; include the design’s name if it has one. Designs usually have descriptions which should include any appropriate information to help a maker construct the design; please put each description on a separate sheet, also labeled on the back.
   2. If you submit your design on a CD please include the descriptions in .txt or .rtf format with your name and address as well as the name and description of your design; again one file per description not all in one. Also write your name on the CD in permanent ink
   3. *If you submit your design by e-mail please include the description in .txt or .rtf format with your name and address as well as the name and description of your design. Remember – one design with description per e-mail.*
   4. In all cases, your e-mail address & phone number are helpful.
6. Naming Conventions for the Designs: Number entries consecutively on the back in the upper right hand corner.Example: if you submit 4 designs, they should be numbered as follows: “#1 of 4”, “#2 of 4” etc. Color versions should be numbered “Color #1 of 4”, etc.If you are submitting on CD each drawing file should be named “1 of 4 name of design.jpg”, “2 of 4 name of design.jpg” and so forth. The text files for each design should be named “1 of 4 name of design text.(txt or rtf)”.
   *Use the same method on e-mails – but Remember – one design with description per e-mail.
7. Enter as many designs as you wish and as often as you wish PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE OF October 15, 2015.
8. Identify the source of your inspiration (if any) on the back or in the text portion of your design.
9. Your designs will not be returned unless you request it AND have also included a Stamped Self-Addressed Envelope of SUFFICIENT SIZE and with SUFFICIENT POSTAGE on it with your designs.
10. By submitting your designs to Costume-Con 34 you agree to the non-profit use & publication of said designs by Costume-Con 34 prior to & during the run of the conference and to their reproduction for the Fashion Show. All rights revert back to the designer after the conference.
11. Designers: If you wish to make up one of your designs exclusively you may indicate that to us in your descriptive text. If that design is a winner you will be automatically listed as making it for the show. After the folio is published, designers will have first option on their designs. As in all CC34 stage events, you can make any number of designs, but you may appear on stage only once.
12. You do not have to be a member of Costume-Con 34 to submit designs, but you do have to be an attending member to make up a design and enter it in the Fashion Show. Designers of designs selected for publication will receive a copy of the Folio even if they are not members of the Convention.
13. To make you think outside of the button box we offer the following Special Categories, please let us know if your design is meant for any of these categories:
    1. Flora & Fauna – In keeping with the CC34 theme “the Wonder of Nature” we’d like to encourage designs inspired by Plants and Animals. Incorporate natural materials for extra points!
    2. Recycled/Repurposed Materials – Be creative and environmentally responsible; what can you design re-using found objects or unusual materials
    3. Menswear – A traditional category for the Folio but we’d like to see more; maybe re-design the standard business suit, design something more creative for casual wear, glam it up for formalwear – let’s see more Menswear
    4. Engineered Nature – Explore bio-mechanics, cybernetics, bio-engineering – must contain both technology and nature combined.

Contact & Mailing Information
Please snail-mail designs to:
Nora Mai
[Removed]
E-mail designs to: [Removed]

Other questions? Same email!

The third part: Future Fashion Show

The Future Fashion Show will take place on Sunday morning. Once the Folio is out, there will be information as to how to request a design. Multiple recreations of a design will be allowed, but the Director will tell you if a design has already been requested a number of times already, in case you want to switch to your second choice. You may re-create more than one design, but you may only appear once on stage, so you must find models for the other costumes and arrange for them to be at the con. They, and you, must be attending members of CC34 in order to participate in the show.

At the con: please check in with the Director to verify that you got your outfit(s) done (we all know how life can get in the way). There will be a mandatory rehearsal at the convention, so you are familiar with the stage and the plan for the show. At that time, you may also have your outfit(s) judged.

Current awards planned are:
Best Outfit Made by Designer
Best Outfit Made by Non-Designer
Best Overall
Depending on the number of entrants, the Director has the discretion to authorize the judges to give out extra awards.

Questions or concerns about the Future Fashion Show can be sent to the FFS Director, Karen Heim, at [Removed].