Authentic 1980 ERTE GOWN Arizona Costume House, Phoenix, AZ
Animal 1982 TEXAS ARMADILLO Starline Costumes San Antonio, TX
Theatre 1983 DIAMOND LIL Landes Costumes, Indianapolis, IN
Comedy 1984 SHARKEY AND BUNNY, Cheshire Creations, Denver, CO
Theatre 1985 ANNA AND THE KING Anderson Costumes, Chesterfield, IN
Authentic 1985 1894 AFTERNOON DRESS Eastern Costumes, Greensboro, NC
Authentic 1986 JOSEPHINE BONAPART Theatrics Unlimited, Charleston, SC
Spectacular 1988 VICTORIA VALENTINE Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, NE
Make Up 1988 THE MIKADO Harold Swain, Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, NE
Masquerade 1989 ARLECCHINO AND ACLECCINA Costume Bazaar, New Haven, CT
First Convention 1989 CHINESE PRINCE AND PRINCESS Features Costumes, Tampa FL
Editor's Note: This is the seventh 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 1980s brought subtle changes to the event. Entrants had to register prior to the convention to be part of it and the judging ballot was streamlined and refined. This judging ballot was used yearly until the 2010s when NCA conventions faded out.
Points were awarded for creativity, construction, rentability, fabrication, and adherence to the category. Following the runway competition, Memorial Award entrants set up elaborate displays that included the costume itself plus research items, design work for the costume, swatches, photos and anything else relevant to the final result. Some of these displays were noteworthy and beautiful. They frequently had research books, framed designs, photos, and display mannequins.
Winning a Memorial Award became as popular as winning the category itself. Following a morning of judging by five convention judges, the room was opened for conventioneers to stop and peruse the incredible work done by NCA costume shops.
It was the golden age of Memorial Awards that grew throughout the 80s and 90s.
The photos above are representative of some of the Memorial Award winners from the early to late 1980s:
- Authentic Category 1980 - “Erte Gown” — Arizona Costume House, Phoenix, AZ
- Animal/ Mascot Category 1982 – “Texas Armadillo” Starline Costumes, San Antonio, TX
- Theatre Category 1983 – “Diamond Lil” Landes Costumes, Indianapolis, IN
- Comedy Category 1984 – “Sharkey & Bunny” Cheshire Creations, Denver, CO
- Authentic Category 1985 – “1894 Afternoon Dress” Eastern Costumes, Greensboro, NC
- Theatre Category 1985 – “Anna & the King” Anderson Costumes, Chesterfield, IN
- Authentic Category 1986 – “Josephine Bonaparte” Theatrics Unlimited, Charleston, SC
- Spectacular Category 1988 — “Victoria Valentine” Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, NE
- Makeup Category 1988 — “The Mikado” Harold Swain, Ibsen Costume Gallery, Omaha, NE
- First Convention Category 1989 — “Chinese Prince & Princess Features Costumes, FL
- Masquerade Category 1989 — “Arlecchino & Aclecchina” Costume Bazaar, New Haven, CT