1995 Memorial Award for Outstanding Holiday Costume Easter Parade
1995 Memorial Award for Outstanding Theatre Costume Masque of the Red Death
1996 Memorial Award for Outstanding Authentic Costume Poor Wandering One
1996 Memorial Award for Outstanding Masquerade Costume Madrigal Greeters
1997 Memorial Award for Outstanding Spectacular Costume Dragon Splendor
1997 Memorial Award for Outstanding Comedy Costume The Queen and the Knave
1998 Memorial Award for Outstanding Fantasy Costume Rulers of the Faerie Realm
1998 Memorial Award for Outstanding Commercial Costume A Night to Remember
1999 Memorial Award for Outstanding Makeup Masters of the Raven
Editor's Note: This is the 11th 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.
The last part of the decade proved to be the “Golden Years” of Memorial Award Participation. All NCA Showcase competition categories now had Memorial Awards also to be won. These categories were named after creative designers from across the country who had specialized in the various themes. Phil Morris of Morris Costumes addressed the group during this time and said, “Take the trophy and display it in your store window along with the costume on a mannequin and let the public see how creative you are! Use this as a great advertising moment! You are an entrepreneur, and the world needs to know!"
The following winners are from this particular period of the National Costumers Association Showcase competition.
1995-1999 Memorial Award Winners
Warren Hendricks Memorial Award for Outstanding Authentic Costume
1995- Chupwyan Indian- Yvonne’s Costume’s, Roger, Arkansas
1996- Poor Wondering One- Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska
1997- Henry VIII & Elizabeth1- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1998- Queen Elizabeth- Fairy Godmother, Chertsey, United Kingdom
1999- Elizabeth Court Attire- Wingo, Occoquan, Virginia
Cliff Allen Memorial Award for Outstanding Fantasy Costume
1997- King & Queen of the Underworld- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, PA
1998- Rulers of the Faerie Realm- Costumed Occasions, San Maros, Texas
1999- Aries Warriors- Leather Masters, Suisan, California
Helen Aune Memorial Award for Outstanding Spectacular Costume
1995- Fantasy Bride- Enchanted Attic, San Bernadino, California
1996- Prince & Princess of Aurora- Features Costumes, Tampa, Florida
1997- Dragon Splendor- Enchanted Attic, San Bernadino, California
1998- Magic Caterpillar Ride- Center Stage Costumes, Gainesville, Florida
1999- Black Magic- Enchanted Attic, San Bernadino, California
C. Arthur Landes & Joseph R. Landes Memoria Award of Outstanding Theater Costume
1995- Masque of the Red Death- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1996- Gown A La Pompadour- Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis Indiana
1997- Carnival of Venice- Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
1998- Where’s Charlie? – Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
1999- 1878 Dinner Dress & Outdoor Costume for Nora in a Doll House – Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
Robert Schultz Memorial Award for Outstanding Animal/Mascot Costume
1997 -Dino Show A Saures & Lib A Rex A Saures- Helen’s Pacific Costumes, Portland OR
1999- Howie the Cowie – Acme Costumes, Garden City, Georgia
Percy Rubenstein Memorial Award for Outstanding Comedy Costume
1996- Drizabella, the Sister Ugly- Costumed Occasions, San Marcos, Texas
1997- The Queen & the Knave- Costumed Occasions, San Marcos, Texas
Charles & Elsie Van Riper Memorial Award for Outstanding Holiday Costume
1995- Easter Parade- Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska
1997-Dearly Beloved – Irvin Stern’s Carousel Costumes, Media, Pennsylvania
1998- King Henry & His Wife- Features Costumes, Tampa, Florida
1999- Dama Muerta- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Abe Jacobson Memorial Award for Outstanding Masquerade Costume
1995- Pig & Pegger, Alice Meets the Duchess- Landes Costumes by Rachel, Indianapolis, Indiana
1996- Madrigal Greeters- Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska
1997- The Magical Marionette- Acme Costume, Garden City, Georgia
1999- From Hag to Riches- Costumed Occasions, Marcos, Texas
The Trosclair Family Memorial Award for Outstanding Commercial Costume
1998- A Night to Remember- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1999- Buccaneer Babe – Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The William Zauder Memorial Award for Outstanding Makeup
1995- Masque of the Red Death- Spotlight Costumes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1996- Drizabella, the Sister Ugly- Costumed Occasion, San Marcos, Texas
1997- King & Queen of the Underworld- Spotlight Costumer, Pittsburgh, PA
1998- Master Mystere- Acme Costumes, Garden City, Georgia
1999- Master of the Raven- Costumes by Joyce, Suisun, California
Note: The highlighted items also were Grand International Winners.
The Showcase Competition was always a fun event to enter and to observe. Hours and hours of time spent on each entry proved worthwhile to the winning shop. Everyone was rewarded and inspired by the quality, originality and execution of these creations, and the Showcase Competition usually drew the largest crowd at each convention. There were so many pictures that needed to be shared, but due to poor quality we could not.
We hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane.
Your Past Presidents,
Dwayne Ibsen and Pamela Markel