Something amazing is in the works at The Crucible. For the second time in our history, we're launching an event bringing the creativity, skill and glamour of high fashion together with the strength, power and volatility of the industrial arts. Introducing HOT COUTURE: A Fusion of Fashion and Fire.

As our 14th year anniversary event, Hot Couture seeks teams of designers to collaborate and design industrial haute couture. Our event concept is to blend the intensity and craft surrounding true French haute couture with the raw energy and materials found in the industrial arts. We're calling for fashion designers to pair with industrial artists to use talents from both fields to create bold design, visionary fashion, and accessories that can only exist in this rare coupling of worlds.

Leather, metal, paper, stone, silk, fire, electricity… All materials and methods of beautifully integrating them with the human form are up for grabs. The supporting event will be produced in proper Crucible style, with a focus on industrial elements set to a backdrop of metal and fire.

Once the show run has completed, all pieces will be included in a moving art installation as part of a set of exhibits in museums throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

We are currently seeking submissions and team proposals from fashion designers and industrial artists. Interested participants should click here to fill out our proposal form.

Requirements

• Design teams much produce a minimum of four complete looks for the show.
• Looks must be imaginative and well executed.
• Wearable is a guideline; we are looking for fashion sculpture.
• All designs should be flame resistant.

Event Details

• The dates for the show will be Friday and Saturday nights, January 11th and 12th, 2013.
• The Crucible will provide a materials stipend for each team selected.
• The Crucible will own the works after the show.
• All artists and designers will be credited for their work.

HOT COUTURE: A Fusion of Fashion and Fire fashion is a spectacle that you won't want to miss. We're looking forward to supporting you and your team, and we'd like to get started as soon as possible.

For information on haute couture and it's place in France's fashion DNA, Vanity Fair has this: http://www.vanityfair.com/style/features/2009/09/couture200909 

Interested in participating? Click here to fill out our proposal form!

While it's true that most of courses we offer are geared towards an adult audience, youth programming still forms large portion of what happens at The Crucible. Inspiring creativity, responsibility, and an understanding of the way things work in youth is incredibly important to our operations. Not only do we offer regular courses geared towards our younger fabricators, we also offer very specific programs including scholarships, internships and a large selection of youth-specific workshops.

Molten Metal and Fire Replace Trust Falls in Today's Team Building Workshops.

If you've ever found yourself in even a semi-corporate environment, chances are you've done a few team building excercises. Ropes courses, bowling nights, company outings... Building a cohesive team is important to any manager, and innovative San Francisco Bay Area businesses are increasingly turning to the Industrial Arts for team building activities. Instead of the standard positive games and happy hours, participants in team building programs at The Crucible complete tangible projects using molten metal, open flame and orange-hot glass.