Rochester, MN Portrait Photographer | Studs, Struts, and Stilettos
Rochester, MN Photography | Nicole Mills Photography
Studs, Struts and Stilettos is an annual event that benefits Habitat for Humanity. The Rochester Area Builders, Inc. organizes and puts on the event and, in my opinion, does a spectacular job! But, what is Studs, Struts and Stilettos?? It's a fashion show! But, not just any fashion show...the entries must be created with the use of materials found in the construction industry. How awesome is that? Pretty awesome, in my humble opinion!
With my experience in both real estate and home remodeling, PLUS my recent interest in designing gowns out of unconventional materials, I was excited to submit an entry. So, Nicole Mills Photography signed up, found a sponsor (thank you Associated Bank!), and got started creating a design entry.
I started taking long walks through both Menards and Home Depot to find inspiration for materials, and I have to say, it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I knew that I wanted to create a ball gown, with a similar "flavor" to those I'd been designing for my photography studio, but I didn't know what materials would lend themselves well to my style of design. I came across drywall tape and was hopeful. I also found window screen (a good replacement for tulle??), and my brain started ticking even more. But then, I found a toilet flange (yes, a toilet flange!), and all of a sudden, I envisioned a crown for my creation! (Spoiler alert...the toilet flange ended up being too wide as the base for my crown, so it was scrapped two days before the event.) I bought a few other random items I thought might make it into my design, and brought everything home. I spread everything out on the coffee filter and started playing with the drywall tape.
The base for my design was a used wedding gown I'd purchased of FB Marketplace. I put it on a mannequin and started hot gluing drywall tape to it. It wasn't working for me. I kept playing, but it just wasn't coming together. Finally, while sitting there, staring at my wedding dress, I remembered that I had this beautiful wallpaper down in my basement. I'd put it in the kitchen of the last home I remodeled before Phoebe was born. I had four rolls left that I'd saved for another project...and decided this was it!
The wallpaper was what I needed. Once I started hot gluing pieces on to the gown, I knew this was the direction my design needed to go. I added some of the black window screen for ruffles, remade the crown just before event day, and then quickly found my scepter materials during a last mad dash to Home Depot. After combining one shower curtain rod, a small clamp work light, a flashlight, our required design material (a wood dowel), and some jewels to bedazzle it, I was ready to go to Studs, Struts and Stilettos!
After having a wallpapered wedding gown sitting in my living room for two months, I was ready to have it be somewhere else...anywhere else, really! I will admit, I'd gotten a little tired of staring at it. Thanks go to my hubby and daughter for not complaining that it'd seemingly become a permanent part of our decor. Thanks too, to my friend Joan, for helping me with the design. She came over throughout the process to offer help with design trouble shooting, design details, and she graciously acted as my assistant at the event...thanks Joan! AND, last but not least...my gorgeous model, Kara. She was a trooper! Besides coming over for multiple fittings, she was game for a photo shoot up at my studio in Pine Island, once the gown was done, and she spent almost the entire day and evening at the event...on her feet. The poor girl. This gown was not designed for sitting, sadly. We did finally manage to sneak a stool under her skirt so she could sit for a bit, but it was a long day. And once the gown was on her, it pretty much had to stay on, so she was on fluid restrictions...if you know what I mean. :)
It was a LONG day, but what fun it was all together. The design entries were INCREDIBLE, to say the least. My firs thought after seeing all the other designs? "Wow, I'm really going to have to up my game if I do this again next year." My jaw dropped at the creativity I saw around me. Granted, I'd been staring at my own gown for about two months, so I was getting a little tired of it, but still.. these other designs were just incredible in their detail and materials used. A combined TON of time, talent, and hard work goes into this event! And thankfully, it's all done for a great cause...raising funds for Habitat for Humanity!
The only thing I regret about the day is that the designers are not able to actually watch the runway show. We're asked to stay behind the scenes with our model. I've yet to see a video of the entire event, but I hope to see one soon. Thankfully, I had friends and family out in the audience watching, so they took plenty of video and photos for me. And to top off the entire awesome experience, Habitat for Humanity chose the Nicole Mills Photography design entry as their favorite! I was NOT expecting that...and the photo of my mouth hanging open when it was announced proves that, I think. ;)
At the after party, the models and designers got to show off their designs "up close" and answer questions about their pieces. A gentleman from Habitat for Humanity came up to speak with me and he told me that they'd raised over $10,000 just in on-line bidding for the design entries, which is again...awesome! I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of the event, and am already looking forward to next year.
Here are about a million behind the scenes, entry design "in-progress" photos, and a little video from the event, if you're interested. Enjoy!
Nicole Mills Photography specializes in photographing girls and women of all ages. If you live in SE Minnesota and are looking for a photographer that is dedicated to her craft and will provide you the most amazing portraits you've ever seen of yourself, then please get in touch with Nicole Mills Photography to schedule your complimentary consultation.
Located in downtown Pine Island, the Nicole Mills Photography studio offers everything you need to make your portrait experience one to remember forever. You'll find a full studio wardrobe to choose from, including beautiful gowns, casual separates, and even unique, custom designs created by Nicole for a one-of-a-kind portrait you and your family will treasure forever.
Nicole Mills Photography offers fully stylized sessions both in her Pine Island studio and outdoors in Rochester, MN and surrounding areas. Whether you're looking for senior photographs, maternity, business head shots, or simply some beautiful images of you and/or your family, Nicole Mills Photography provides unparalleled service, quality of work, and unique artwork you'll want to hand down for generations to come.
Now serving: Rochester, Pine Island, Byron, Kasson, Mantorville, Oronoco, Stewartville, Zumbrota, Wanamingo, Eyota, St. Charles, Elgin, Plainview, and more.