FASHION FORWARD WITH FDG
We participated in this year’s IIDA Fashion Forward hosted by the IIDA Texas Oklahoma Chapter. See our journey from sketch to stitch as we brought to life a country music legend.
For the past several weeks, members of our team have been participating in the IIDA Fashion Forward competition hosted by IIDA Dallas City Center. This annual event engages interior design firms and local vendors to generate creative outfits made entirely out of materials utilized in the world of interior architecture and design while adhering to each year’s theme. 2022 brought us “Musicfest Mixtape Remix” featuring varying popular musical categories, including genres such as Pop and Broadway to Punk Rock and R&B and everything in between.
From sketch to stitch, watch us bring to life a country music legend.
Creating A Country Classic
Our step-by-step process
Step One:
Once given their category - Country - the team began with pulling inspiration from various country legends including Porter Wagner, Hank Williams, Reba McEntire, and Shania Twain. The team’s biggest muse came from country queen, Dolly Parton.
Step Two:
Next came the design. The piece was tailored around Dolly’s icon style of approachable glamor, glitz, and layered monochromatic palettes. The team stayed true to the country roots by incorporating rhinestones and fringe.
Step Three:
With their vision in tow, the team began outlining their show-stopping design and pulling materials to bring the dress to life. Emser Tile and EF Contract partnered with FDG to provide the materials that would create the details of the design.
Step Four:
Finally, the team fitted their model to ensure dimensions for each piece of the outfit. Then they got to work assembling the dress. Hours spent tediously sewing, gluing, and stapling culminated in a striking design that brought Dolly to fruition.
Fierce Fashion Show Competition
Though the competition was tough, Dolly and the FDG Crew received the first-place award for Best In Show.
Meet the Genres
The Country Classic Team
Carma - Project Manager
Caroline - Designer
Conni - Marketing & Creative Manager
Courtney - Senior Project Manager
Graham - Business Development Manager
Kurt - Project Manager
Emser Tile: Paula
EF Contract: Matthew
IIDA Fashion Forward Photo Gallery
FDG Around the World
From Verona to Venice and everything in between, read about Taylor’s travels in Italy where she attended the Marmomac Marble & Stone Conference and explored the Tuscan countryside.
Taylor’s Travels in Italy
October brought adventures galore for Taylor who traveled across the pond to attend the Marmomac Marble and Stone Conference in Verona, Italy. While there, Taylor set aside time to explore the diverse and cultured country, visiting Florence and Venice, and experiencing all that these dynamic cities had to offer!
Q: What countries did you visit and how long did you stay?
A: I visited Verona, Venice, and Florence, Italy for 10 days.
Q: How long did it take you to reach your initial destination?
A: The flight from Dallas to Venice was 13 hours with one stop in New York, and an additional 2.5 hours from Venice to Verona where the Marmomac Marble and Stone Conference was held.
Q: What was your favorite activity throughout the trip?
A: Seeing the beautiful stone at the conference and visiting the ancient Roman amphitheater, Arena di Verona was great. I also met up with my college professor and had dinner with her students studying abroad at Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence. I saw Michelangelo’s David sculpture at the Accademia Gallery and took water taxis to explore Venice. Trying all the food was wonderful!
Q: What was your favorite location throughout your visit?
A: I loved the tour of the historical market then the cooking class located in the hills of the Tuscan countryside on a private estate.
Q: What are some cultural differences that you found interesting?
A: Eating dinner for 2-3 hours starting at 8:00 P.M. was the biggest cultural difference.
Q: Would you recommend these destinations for those looking to travel?
A: Absolutely, I would!
What would you suggest trying for those visiting the area?
A: I would suggest visiting the Piazza del Duomo to see the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore di Firenze.
Q: Did your travels inspire creativity?
A: Yes!
Q: What are some design aesthetics from your travels that you would integrate into an FDG project?
A: The intricate stone flooring inlay and detailed door hardware was very interesting.
Q: What was your favorite architectural design you saw while traveling?
A: I really enjoyed the architecture of the Santa Maria del Fiore di Firenze.
FDG Around the World
Read about Carma’s recent travels overseas to Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and the Netherlands where she explored the culture through food, activities, and architecture.
Carma’s Travels in Europe
In September, Carma embarked on a trip to Serbia for a christening which quickly became a whirlwind adventure overseas. Visiting four countries over the span of two weeks, Carma was excited to add to her bucket list of activities and experiences.
Q: What countries did you visit and how long did you stay?
A: Dubrovnik, Croatia for four days, Bar, Montenegro for one day, Belgrade, Serbia for eight days, and Amsterdam, Netherlands for nineteen hours.
Q: How long did it take to reach your initial destination?
A: It took fifteen hours to get from Dallas to Dubrovnik.
Q: What was your favorite activity throughout the trip?
A: Island hoping in Croatia. Aside from the beautiful scenery, we met a great group of people from various countries. It was so much fun learning more about them and their culture.
Q: What was your favorite location throughout your visits?
A: Belgrade was my favorite. They have amazing food and amazing people. The architecture was very interesting, with so many styles sandwiched between each other.
Q: What are some cultural differences that you found interesting?
A: The tap water was safe to drink, but almost every restaurant served bottled water. I tend to drink a lot of water when dining and it wasn’t always easy to get more. I started carrying an extra bottle of water with me so I wouldn’t have to bug the servers.
Q: Would you recommend these destinations for those looking to travel?
A: Absolutely! There’s so many amazing things to experience, and traveling to the Balkans is typically more affordable than other areas of Europe.
Q: What would you suggest trying for those visiting the area?
Croatia
Island tours, kayaking, and swimming in the Adriatic Sea - the water is so clear
Montenegro
Go to Stara Čaršija restaurant for a “Salt Bae” type experience and incredible food!
Serbia
Must try the cevapi with kaymak, pljeskavica, and karadjordjeva - it’s the Serbian schnitzel.
Q: Did your travels inspire creativity?
A: Yes. Over there, space is limited. People were very creative on how to make the best use of their space. The integration of greenery everywhere was so beautiful. Almost everywhere I went had at least one plant, if not more. There’s a street in Belgrade where the buildings had an undesirable façade, so they painted a beautiful mural across the entire façade.
Q: What are some design aesthetics from your travels that you would integrate into an FDG project?
A: Would love to incorporate more natural elements, like a living green wall or ceiling into a project.
Q: What was your favorite architectural design you saw while traveling?
A: So many beautiful buildings, but what I found the most interesting was in Belgrade, Serbia, there were so many different architectural styles and they would be positioned adjacent to each other. There were several times when I had to stop and just take it in.
Happy World Gratitude Day!
As part of our core company values, we Begin In Gratitude (Go BIG) each day to further a deep appreciation for our family, friends, clients, and team members. Check out what we're grateful for.
