Alex goes Gaga with fabricated fashion

• Kacey Winkler

Building Prohibition: Kacey Winkler constructed a flippy flapper dress out of plastic laminate. This won Most Wearable and the People’s Choice awards. Photo by Crystal Dey.
• Jordyn Thompson

Jordyn Thompson gave wallpaper some structure with her pixie costume. This creation won the Show Stopper award. Photo by Crystal Dey.
• Hodge and Odegaard

Swingin’ in the 1970s: Heather Hodge and Ben Odegaard accessorized their groovy threads with ceramic tile. Photo by Crystal Dey.
• Jeff Goetz

Jeff Goetz brooded down the runway stonefaced wearing cement shoes and duct tape attire. Photo by Crystal Dey.
• Taylor Swenson

Super Posh Painter: Taylor Swenson created a slick super hero costume out of paint chips and painting supplies. Photo by Crystal Dey.

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• Photo Gallery: Construction Couture
• Alex goes Gaga
• Follow Crystal Dey on Twitter @CrystalDey_Echo

In the middle of West Central Minnesota’s manufacturing Mecca, folks shed their workday duds and shined up for a high-fashion event to support the local building industry.

Vikingland Builders Association (VBA) melded the world of construction and the fashion runway when it presented “Construction Couture” at the Broadway Ballroom in Alexandria on Thursday.

A unique fashion show, described as “Bob the Builder meets Lady Gaga,” followed a social hour and silent auction.

“It was fun, very unusual,” said Paula Shelander, VBA executive officer.

Leading up to the spotlight event, Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy played in the background. Then, more than 150 people prepared to be wowed by 24 models strutting down the catwalk in creations dreamed up by Alexandria Technical and Community College’s fashion management, interior design, marketing and construction site management majors.

Business leaders also joined the ATCC students, bonding the event with the community. The objective was to create runway-worthy designs from everyday building materials.

“The models were ecstatic,” said Shelander. “They really came through with attitude and made it fun.”

Awards were given in three categories: Most Wearable, Raw Factor and Show Stopper. Judges Lynndene Way, Theresa Moberg and Coni McKay voted Kacey Winkler Most Wearable for her creation “Building Prohibition” – a flapper dress created with plastic laminate that audibly flapped as she walked down the runway.

Ashley Trousil won Raw Factor for her “Curtain Couture” maternity dress fashioned from curtain fabric, trim and tassels. Show Stopper was awarded to Jordyn Thompson for “Paper Pixie,” a costume-themed dress designed with wallpaper.

Winkler also won the People’s Choice award. The decision was a tough one with Dawson Harris coming in a close second with his “Cement Shoes” creation. He literally wore cement shoes and duct tape pants.

When Shelander proposed the idea at a VBA board meeting, some board members thought she may have walked into the wrong room, joked Brian Klimek, VBA president. But Shelander knew it could be pulled off – it’s been done by a sister association in Mankato that helped Shelander through the planning process.

“The key is having people behind you, committee members who will pull through,” Shelander said.

Shelander credits much of the success of Construction Couture to the volunteers who donated time and resources to provide the music, photography, video and set-up for the event.

“There is no question we will probably do this again next year,” Shelander said.

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Follow #AlexMN @EchoPress reporter Crystal Dey on Twitter at @CrystalDey_Echo.

Tags: local news, viking builders, style show, news, vba, video, multimedia