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Fancy Purple Paint is the brand of Rebecca Stirm. Plus TV has featured her local fashion shows held at the George Price Centre in Belmopan. The 18 year old Stirm is a self-thought designer with four years experience and she recently had the great opportunity of competing in a competition known as Mission Catwalk. Mission Catwalk is a popular Caribbean show that airs on TVJ in Jamaica. The objective of the show is to find and develop Caribbean talent. When it was first aired last year it focused only on Jamaican talent; but for season two the show has expanded its influence and incorporates a more regional audience. Belize showcased Rebecca Stirm who auditioned for the spot and was fortunate to join nineteen other designers from the Caribbean. She shared about her appearance as one of the designers on the show.

Rebecca Stirm, Designer
Mission Catwalk is a Caribbean based TV show, somewhat similar to Project Runway. It starts out with twenty designers and then fifteen designers and then each week a designer is eliminated. I was one of the seven international designers who went to Jamaica to complete in the Mission Catwalk series. Leaving Belize, I was really excited, because it was really new for me; I had never been to Jamaica before this. I have actually never travelled in the Caribbean and I have never done something this big with my designs and so to get to go and compete every week and design a new piece, constantly designing something new and constantly getting new challenges, was exciting. It was very exciting.

She spoke about what the experience has done for her and other designers she got to meet.

Rebecca Stirm
The experience was very exciting; it was such a big learning experience. You are pushed to your limits in every single challenge and you have to constantly be coming up with something new and executing new things and it's a challenge. However, it's so exciting; the people I met, the places we went, the connections I made was very exciting. Don't forget the show airs tonight at 7:30 Belize time on Television Jamaica.com.

Mission Catwalk airs tonight on TVJ at 7:30pm - Belize time - and it can be viewed via the internet at Televisionjamaica.com

PlusTV

Here's a long teaser trailer for Mission Catwalk. At around 2:10, Belmopan's Rebecca Stirm can be seen interacting with the judges, and explaining her styles. Good luck, Rebecca!

Awesome job Rebecca......and Good Luck in Jamaica....!

Rebecca Stirm wins Mission Catwalk reality show fashion challenge with Belize inspired design

AGSelectPR, Belmopan, Monday, April 9th 2012: Roaring Creek native Rebecca Stirm emerged the winner in a culture-inspired challenge in the second episode of Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk, filmed in Kingston Jamaica.

Stirm and 14 other designers were challenged by host and executive-producer Keenea Linton-George to "create an outfit that reflects the style and culture" of their individual countries joined by "the common thread of independence." The designers who hail from Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad were challenged to work within a short time frame and with a US$20 budget.

Rebecca, 18, used Belize Hispanic and Mayan culture as inspiration for her design worn by model Abenah Gonzalez

"We are nestled in between two Hispanic speaking countries so unlike the rest of the English speaking Caribbean we have a lot of Hispanic influence. So I chose the cut of my dress from kind of that quince anos bigger skirt (full skirt) small bodice and then chose to do the embroidery based on more of the Maya culture. I really wanted my piece to have a lot of oomph out on the runway so I wanted a lot of material, so I actually looked in the curtain section for material. I was able to get a lot of this very, very light; airy fabric for a little bit of money since we were on a tight budget. I added embroidery to give it some detail and intricacy."

Rebecca was the first of the show's designers to win a challenge as no winner was declared in the first episode where five contestants went home.

She describes her win as exciting, "I was really, really excited to be the first to win something, that's really huge and I got so excited that when I went to leave the stage I tripped on my model's dress and kinda fell on her. It was really funny. I was over excited definitely!

Rebeca, who calls her fashion label Fancy Purple Paint says she has enjoyed the intense experience of the reality show.

"The experience so far I've had to learn how to definitely think on my feet very quickly. Like we get a challenge and we have to execute it all in a very short period of time, so I've had to choose fabric quickly sketch quickly, sew quickly everything has been fast I've really enjoyed meeting the people, the internationals and the Jamaicans, it's been great connecting and getting to know everyone. I really like Jamaica so far it's very similar to Belize actually it's kinda like being at home but just different people"

Rebecca and the remaining 13 contestants are vying for JA$3 million in prizes including the chance to show at London Fashion Week.

Mission Catwalk airs on Television Jamaica Tuesdays at 7:30 pm Belize time and repeats at 4:30 PM on Thursdays.

About Mission Catwalk

Mission Catwalk is a fashion reality series created by Jamaican fashion designer Keneea Linton-George aimed at discovering and developing new talent. The Kingston based show tests the creativity and skill of each contestant through various challenges. On each episode, a guest judge joins Linton-George (who also serves as host and executive producer), menswear designer Carlton Brown and Jamaica Observer Lifestyle Editor Novia MacDonald-Whyte to critique the designs and eliminate one designer. Mission Catwalk is directed and edited by Mykal Cushnie. Title sponsors are Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), National Commercial Bank of Jamaica (NCB) and Digicel. The show airs Tuesdays at 8:30PM on Television Jamaica.

VIDEO: Rebecca Stirm won the fashion contest on the second episode of Mission Catwalk. Rebecca is representing Belize in Jamaica. Congratulations, Rebecca!

Awesome....Congratulations and good luck!

Designer Rebecca Stirm wins Mission Catwalk challenge with Belize-inspired design

Kingston, JAMAICA - Drawing on the Hispanic and Mayan influences in her country, 18 year-old Belizean fashion designer Rebecca Stirm emerged the winner in a culture-inspired challenge in the second episode of Caribbean fashion designer reality series Mission Catwalk, filmed in Kingston Jamaica.

Stirm and 14 other designers were instructed by host and executive-producer Keneea Linton-George to "create an outfit that reflects the style and culture" of their individual countries joined by "the common thread of independence." The designers, who were given pointers from Season One winner Shenna Carby, had to apply their creativity within a short time frame and on a US$20 budget.

"I wanted a lot of material, so I looked in the curtain section," said Rebecca. "I was able to get a lot of this very, very light; airy fabric for a little bit of money since we were on a tight budget. I added embroidery to give it some detail and intricacy."

"Beautiful, dramatic, tasteful, stylish-I can feel the culture," said Linton-George about Rebecca's dress which also impressed judges -Jamaica Observer Lifestyle Editor, Novia McDonald Whyte; menswear designer Carlton Brown and guest judge, Trinidadian actress Nadia Khan.

A Rebecca Stirm design on the runway

Rebecca (who calls her label Fancy Purple Paint) was the first of the show's designers to win a challenge as no winner was declared in the previous episode where five contestants went home.

The next best design came from Barbadian Kerin Scott's skirt and top combo which reflected the laid back beach culture of her island and the blue and yellow of the national flag.  Jamaican Janel Jolly created an African-inspired chic casual dress while Trinidadian Ryan Chan delivered his version of a modern sari.

Jamaicans Crystal Powell, Keshon Hawthorne, Maria King-Beadle, Natalie Rochester as well as Barbadian/Trinidadian Janelle Forde and Ryan Berkeley of Guyana were given the opportunity to continue to next week's show for what Hawthorne aptly described as a "second chance".

In the bottom four were Trinidadian Shannon Kwong and Gregory Williams, Shellane McFarlane and Kimbally Smith of Jamaica. The final two came down to Shellane and Kimbally and the latter was cut for his poor interpretation which according to McDonald-Whyte  failed to impress.

Rebecca and the remaining 13 contestants are vying for JA$3 million in prizes including the chance to show at London Fashion Week.

Rebecca Stirm (right) with model in one of her designs

Winning designer, Rebecca Stirm

SOURCE

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Belizean making waves in Caribbean Fashion Design Competition

Belizean, Rebecca Stirm of Roaring Creek is hitting it big in a Caribbean fashion designer show. Stirm, who heard about the reality series through a friend, auditioned and was accepted as one of the competitors vying for three million Jamaican dollars or over thirty thousand U.S dollars in prizes including the opportunity to show at London Fashion Week. The series features participants from across the Caribbean including Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Barbados and Jamaica. To date two episodes have aired. In the second challenge, where a winning design was selected, the participants had only twenty U.S dollars and limited time to create a winning piece. Stirm won that challenge with rave reviews. News Five Andrea Polanco reports:

 

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

Nineteen-year old Rebecca Stirm's dream for fashion design started at home and has since mushroomed into a career:

Rebecca Stirm, Fashion Designer

"Well when I was probably about maybe four, I started sewing. My mom used to let me have needles and thread from really, really young and I would always be sewing things from socks and stuff for dolls and as it progressed, I started sewing my own clothing and teach myself how to sew and then I started to sew for other people and just recently over the last two and a half years it turned into a little business for me and a little bit more of a career."

 

The talent and passion for the craft has since propelled her on a regional stage. She is one of the competitors in a Caribbean fashion designer reality series called Mission Catwalk. They have since filmed a several episodes. The first was no easy task, but she met the challenge:

Rebecca Stirm

"Oh my goodness, well at first when they took us to the Hope Gardens I was thinking that they would make us make something out of leaves; we're all like freaking out. But when they walked out in those nightgowns, oh god, and then when they told us thirty minutes, oh god. That was stress and then like I didn't get any trimmings or anything. I just had the scissors and the needle and just started cutting. It was rush, like as you started thirty minutes was done. It was so fast; everyone was worried about getting eliminated that day."

In the second episode they were tasked to make a cultural piece that incorporate aspects of independence. It was the first challenge where a winner was declared. Stirm took the top spot with a mayan-mestizo inspired piece:

Rebecca Stirm

"We had to draw from our cultures and stuff so those were the two main cultures that I pulled from. I thought they would flow really well together in a really umph type dress on the way on the runway. So I kinda pull pieces from each culture to create the look that I wanted on the runway."

 

Andrea Polanco

"Were you surprised to be named the winner of that challenge?"

 

Rebecca Stirm

"Oh yeah because a lot of them are really good. A lot of them are on very similar levels. I thought that Janel Jolly was gonna win. I was very sure and I did not expect that at all and I was so excited. My face like all lit up and stepped on my models dress and almost tripped. It was so exciting."

Andrea Polanco

"What do you expect will be played out for the remainder of the show?"

 

Rebecca Stirm

"Ummm. You guys just have to see. You'll have to watch the show."

 

Andrea Polanco

"Will it be even more fun or challenging?"

 

Rebecca Stirm

"Of course. I know things are going to get heated and people will get eliminated. Even close friends will get eliminated like it's gonna get down to some really exciting, sad, tough and rough stuff."

 

And in just a short time Stirm has left an indelible mark on the panel, so much so that she has been invited to Caribbean Fashion Week:

Rebecca Stirm

"The judges after the show encouraged me to do Caribbean Fashion Week to do my line and get more exposure after the show. That's why I registered and all and I will be in Jamaica at the same time for the show so I don't have to spend on an extra ticket and everything. And also, one other thing, I am looking for sponsorship right now for Caribbean Fashion Week so if you are interested in helping me to get to Caribbean Fashion Week, the registration fee is two thousand U.S and so it's gonna be really expensive for me to take my collection there so I am in desperate need for any kind of support that I can get."

Reporting for News Five, I'm Andrea Polanco.

 

Stirm is set to return to Kingston Jamaica next month to film the final episode of the show, where three finalists will compete for the opportunity to participate in London Fashion Week. If you want to watch the show you can log on to www.televisionjamaica.com. If you'd like to be a sponsor for Stirm's debut in the Caribbean Fashion Week, you can send her an email at [email protected]

Channel 5

Mission Catwalk episode 3 trailer

Rebecca Stirm was on last night's OMG talking about Mission Catwalk. Here's the trailer for episode 3, which is currently being shown. Go Rebecca!

Belizean fashionista sews her way to catwalk

Last week we told you about local fashion designer, Rebecca Stirm, who is making waves in a regional fashion design reality series, Mission Catwalk. In the second episode and first judged challenge last week, Stirm won with a Belize-inspired dress.

She has once again captured the eyes of the judges in the third round to be aired tonight on TVJ in Jamaica. Stirm placed second to Jamaican designer, Crystal Powell with a design she says is a bold and independent look. The judges said that the piece "worked and was detailed and sophisticated."

The contestants on the show had to create a modern garment inspired by the 1920's 'flapper' era. The flapper dress was characterized by a straight, loose fit with a dropped waist, sleeveless and embellishments that would give the illusion of "flapping" while dancing. The 1920's was a time of liberation for the flapper woman, who would dress in short skirts, bobbed their hair, and dismissed social and sexual norms of the day. In episode four, the remaining designers will design a garment around a selection from Cinderella Hats. In the finale, three finalists will design an entire collection worth three million Jamaican dollars or close to seventy thousand Belize dollars in prizes including the opportunity to show at London Fashion Week 2012.

Channel 5

Mission Catwalk now showing on Channel 5

Mission Catwalk, it is the popular fashion designer reality series that is hit across the Caribbean. After negotiations, Channel Five has gotten the green light to air the much talked about show. Starting on Tuesday night you can watch the first episode at eight o'clock and subsequent episodes every other Tuesday night. Featured on the show is Belizean fashion designer, Rebecca Stirm of Roaring Creek. Stirm has been named one to watch for the grand finale; she has won two challenges so far and has earned top remarks from the judges for the other challenges. She is competing with designers from across the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Guyana. Stirm and the other designers are competing for prizes worth around seventy-thousand Belize dollars.

Channel 5

Rebecca Stirm wins another Mission Catwalk round

Another act that has been on the Caribbean Stage, includes Belmopan resident, Rebecca Stirm. She continues to dominate in Mission Catwalk Season Two. In the sixth episode of the Caribbean fashion reality series, the designers had to design an outfit incorporating the red HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon. In her design, the red ribbon framed a high neckline and continued down the back of the dress forming a dramatic scoop and crossing at the lower back; she used a grey fabric with a subtle print from the upholstery section and also made a red underskirt to complement the piece. Stirm told the judges that she wanted to create a look to portray strength and courage. She was careful not to over-style and wanted to keep the focus on the neckline and the HIV ribbon by sticking to a simple color palette. Stirm was praised for her 'chic interpretation' which allowed the red ribbon to be the focus of the outfit. A press release issued by Mission Catwalk, stated that Rebecca is the only contestant to win more than one challenge since the start of the second season on March twenty-seventh. So far, Stirm has won three challenges and has been highlighted in the top designs for the other challenges. Mission Catwalk airs Tuesday nights on Channel Five.

Channel 5