It's Show
Time!
A collection by Zoe Wenner
It's Showtime!, is a Spring/Summer 2026 collection inspired by the striking cover art of the 1974 book, People are Crazy Here, by Rex Reed. The vibrant colors, provoking imagery, and overall satirical tone, serve as the central inspiration for my collection that explores themes of masking your true self and the coping mechanisms we put into place to keep ourselves, somewhat tethered to reality. Through a heavily saturated color palette and glamorous fabrics and silhouettes, this collection represents the many parts of this illustration that are messy, exciting, and thought provoking.
It's Show
Time!
Customer
My customer is a celebrity in her late 20s, who hosts her own variety show on live TV. She is under immense pressure to perform well and sacrifice her own well being for the sake of succeeding. Although her profession is pushing her to the edge, expecting her to mold herself into what society insists she be, putting on a show is
Emotional, Strong Willed, and a Real Show Stopper
one of the few things she finds true joy in, so she can not let it go. She is not one to shy away from loud clothing, even when she's off the stage. She enjoys being the center of attention, but sometimes, prefers her outfit do the performing for her. She goes out, she parties, she mingles with the crowds, she rests very little and expects it to never catch up to her.
Silhouette
Glamorous and Theatrical with Bohemian Flair
I am fascinated by his use of materials, making somewhat normal silhouettes, look incredibly visually interesting, with his use of fabric, trims, and embellishments.
I wanted to take as much inspiration as I could from his Cher looks, while also creating something uniquely me.
Once again, we go back to the cover of "People are Crazy Here". My research started with the late 60s early 70s, because of the novel's 1974 publishing year.
I have always loved Bob Mackie's creations, especially the looks he made for Cher during her TV show host era. Her Bob Mackie gowns have made quite the impression on me during my time at SCAD.
Look 1 Process
Materials
My main material for Look 1 and my entire collection, was a gorgeous orange iridescent organza. I cut out a circle, roughly 20 in wide, with a 3 inch spiral cut from the center to create the curls. I used 20 yards of the organza in this process, cutting over 60 curls. Each spiral was individually placed and sewn onto the strap circling the bodice. The shell of the look was entirely made of the same organza.
In Progress
Look 2 Process
Materials
Look 2 is a two-piece set, made with a hot pink iridescent organza overlay on pink and orange lining. The combination of the shades of these colors felt very unique and costume-like. I wanted the two, two-piece, sets in my collection to scream 1970s Cher and I felt the best place to start, would be with some dramatic fabric combinations.
In Progress
Look 3 Process
Materials
For Look 3 I used the same iridescent organza as seen throughout my collection. I did not need to cut as many swirls as I did for Look 1, because the layering of the swirls caused it to look fuller faster.
In Progress
Look 4 Process
Materials
For my final look, I was very interested in adding another color to the orange and pink color story. I ended up finding a beautiful baby blue lamé, whose texture and shade, I felt, would be the perfect addition to the collection.
After having a bit of time
away from my collection, I've decided
that if I were to redo a look, it would be this one! I feel like I could have given a lot more structure to the top, which would have flattered my models better and would have given it a much more professional look.
You live and you learn!
BONUS!
In Progress
Final Photoshoot
Tech Flats
