Cool vs. Cruel Contest Winners Honored

And the Winner is. . .

The real stars of the evening were—of course—the emerging designers who gathered top honors for their cruelty-free entries in the contest.

	©Erin Gleeson/Art Institutes
	Jolie Benner took the top prize in the 2007 Cool vs. Cruel design contest.

Jolie Benner of The Art Institute of Portland took home the grand prize for her short, yellow Tyvek dress with a simulated fur collar—a design that proves that fashion and compassion need not be mutually exclusive.

For her winning entry, Benner will receive a five-day internship with a high-fashion designer—furthering her career and connections in the fashion world. The 2006 Cool vs. Cruel first prize winner, Marisa Widjojo, now works for Marc Bouwer.

Jolie Benner is in her third year of study at The Art Institute of Portland, pursuing a bachelor's degree in apparel design.

©Seventh House PR
Jolie Benner's yellow Tyvek dress won the grand prize.

Benner says she was inspired to enter the Cool vs. Cruel competition for the challenge of designing a garment using animal- and earth-friendly materials as an alternative to fur.

Her Tyvek dress captures the essence of fur in the fringe trim around the neck—but leaves out the cruelty.

As a career changer, Benner decided to sew up her technical skills in apparel design after trying out for season two of Project Runway.

Upon graduation, Benner hopes to open her own fashion company, one that provides one-of-a-kind costumes and wearable art commissioned by her clients, and to work with people to "make their lives more beautiful."

More Creative Compassion

	©Seventh House PR
	Nathan Carter loves clothing design and fashion shows, "especially the after-parties," he noted.

Nathan Carter of The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale secured second place in the Cool vs. Cruel competition.

His entry was a fitted-waist jacket accompanied by a knee-length pencil skirt with an artificial skin panel.

He used synthetic hair with a mix of different fabric techniques to create a unique "animal fantasy" which was also animal friendly.

©Seventh House PR
Nathan Carter created "a new animal."

To Nathan—who has been interested in the fashion world since kindergarten—the Cool vs. Cruel competition was important because "it makes people aware that you don't need to use fur to create beautiful, wearable garments."

In making the outfit, Nathan says he was inspired to "create a new animal" instead of destroying animals as some designers do.

Ultimately, he hopes he can bring "unique alternatives to animal skin and fur for the modern woman into the fashion world" when he starts his own clothing company.

	©Seventh House PR
	Julia An's dream of becoming a designer will get closer when she graduates next month.

Julia An was touched by what she learned about the harsh reality of the fur trade as a participant in the Cool vs. Cruel competition.

©Seventh House PR
Julia An concocted sassy style—sans fur.

She was proud to demonstrate that animals do not need to be killed for style. By using a unique zebra-print polyester fabric, An created a piece of flouncy, wearable art.

An finds herself motivated by the prospect of creating her own line and seeing her designs embraced by the public.

Upon graduation, An looks forward to moving to Southern California to pursue her dreams, fur-free.

Says An, "I can't wait to see my ideas come to life and to see people actually wearing my clothes."

	©Seventh House PR
	Stephanie Womack's dress won the popular vote.

An online competition asked the clothes-conscious public to pick their winner. After casting more than 4,000 votes, the people chose a sleek black dress by Stephanie Womack, who attends The Art Institute of Dallas.

A close second was a faux-fur-trimmed gown by Glenn M. Glass at The Illinois Institute of Art—Chicago. A plaid coat dress with black trim and a black scarf, created by Thitika Amy Phutiwitayathorn of The Art Institute of Vancouver, was the third favorite.

See all the contest entries on the voting page.

Today's Trend in Fashion is Fur-Free

The Cool vs. Cruel fashion awards are part of a larger trend toward cruelty-free fashion. A cadre of other top designers have already sworn off fur in their fashion collections, recognizing that faux fur—or no fur—is more humane, fashionable and functional to boot.