1990 GI winner Jacques the Jaunty Jester
1991 GI winner Crystal Follies
1991 GI winner Crystal Follies 2
1991 GI winner Crystal Follies outside of fan
1992 GI winner Winter Wizard
1992 GI winner Winter WIzard 2
1993 GI winner Mardi Gras Now and Mardi Gras Forever
1993 GI winner Mardi Gras Customer's design
1993 GI winner Mardi Gras Then
1994 GI winner Triceratops
1994 GI winner Triceratops 2
Editor's Note: This is the eighth in a series of articles about NCA's famous Grand International Award (and the related costume awards) written by Pam Markel and Dwayne Ibsen, past presidents. To read the previous article, click here.
Describing the Grand International Showcase winners of the 1990s is extremely challenging. Everyone thought the 1980s was over the top, but the 1990s brought a whole new dimension of costuming and an unbelievable extravaganza of creativity and design. It is hard, looking back, for Dwayne and me to give the winners the credit due simply with just words. You just had to be at the National Conventions in the 1990s to see and experience the beauty of these magnificent creations.
We have decided to break this period into two sections: 1990-1994 and 1995-1999. In our opinion, the pictures of these glorious entries needed to be shared in their entirety.
The Grand International Winner for 1990 went to The Costume Bazaar in New Haven Connecticut. The entry “Jacques the Jaunty Jester” was created by former NCA President Josie Russell. Spectacular it was, from the elaborate headpiece, matching makeup, to the glittering costume and culminating with the matching staff. Costume Bazaar also won the Charles Van Riper Memorial award for Outstanding Spectacular Costume and was first runner up for the Make Up award.
Features Costumes Inc. in Tampa, Florida took the Grand International in 1991 for its entry “Crystal Folly.” It was designed and created by Past President Duane Wendell and Joseph Stokes. The skirt of the two-piece gown is made of 16,000 hand-strung beads, finished with 280 bagettes and strung onto a lamé belt. The top had 5,000 hand-strung crystal beads, enhanced by crystal prisms and silver lamé appliques covered with bugle beads and silver sequins. The fan the model carried consisted of 14 yards of iridescent taffeta. The inside of the taffeta material was covered with 2,000 natural peacock feathers with a twinkling Swarovski rhinestone in every feather’s eye. The back of the fan was trimmed with silver brocaded lamé in a baroque design, and accented with pewter, silver and blue sequins. The bottom of the fan was finished with a sunburst of lame and sequins, complemented with a matching six-foot train.
Can you even imagine how long it took to make this entry? Sadly, there is not a large complete photo of this gorgeous creation. If anyone has a large picture of this entry, please forward it to Ed Avis, executivedirector@costumers.org.
The 1991 Grand International competition was the largest ever with 69 entries. Wow, such incredible competition.
The Enchanted Attic, San Bernadino, California won the Grand International Award in 1992. Their entry “Winter Wizard” was unbelievable ice and sparkles from head to toe to staff. You could just envision this icy, gorgeous wizard coming out of the snow to perform magic of some kind. Winter Wizard received the Charles Van Riper Memorial award for the Outstanding Spectacular Category and the William Zauder Makeup award.
The 1993 GI Award went to “Mardi Gras…Then, Now and Forever,” a creation from Helen’s Pacific Costumes, Portland Oregon. Entries in the Grand International Competition usually have a back story, but this one is unique and interesting. Early in April of 1993, a customer walked into Helen’s Pacific Costume Shop with a poster from New Orleans and said: “Make this for me, I need it June.” This poster only showed the costume from the waist up, so they had to design the lower portion themselves and create what was underneath. What a task. In the archives we found the original picture from the customer’s poster, their design of Mardi Gras then, the Mardi Gras now and the Mardi Gras future and of course the finished product.
“Mardi Gras Then” had a cocoon cape that was removed to reveal a drop waist and beaded lamé coat; “Mardi Gras Now” had an Egyptian air to its design with its collar and girdle; and “Mardi Gras Forever” was obtained by removing the skirt and adding leggings and winged cuffs. Quite a lot of planning, creating and hours and hours of work went into executing the finished product.
Lastly in 1994, the Grand International Award was captured by “Triceratops” from Stagecraft Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. This gentle dinosaur captured everyone’s attention as it entered the stage. The audience was stunned when this beautiful creation took up almost the entire stage. Unfortunately, there were no details in the history of this entry, except that Randy Kent, the owner, was the backend of the dinosaur. It would have been so nice to know more about the construction and materials used. We do know that Stagecraft was known for its amazing work and construction.
We hope you have enjoyed this historical walk-through of the Grand International Award winners of the early 1990s. Later this month we will introduce you to the extravagant winners from 1995-1999.
*If anyone has clearer pictures or information about these costume creations please forward it to executivedirector@costumers.org or docmarkel@aol.com.
Your Past Presidents,
Dwayne Ibsen & Pamela Markel