The 82nd Academy Awards could hold a special excitement for Emerging Designer Fernanda Carneiro which will be broadcast on Sunday, March 7th.  The Brazilian-born beauty may see the trophy presenter wearing one of her creations on stage.  Fernanda is a contestant in the “Oscars Designer Challenge” and will be part of the runway show usually held the day before the Oscars at Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

For Fernanda that could be the beginning of a new career transition from doing day dresses to evening wear.   “I designed my own wedding dress in 2008,” she explains.  “Then I designed bridesmaids’ dresses for my friends.  Seems its something people are looking for -- and something people will always pay for.” 

Her stand out dress of her Spring/Summer 2010 Collection was a powder blue party with sheer sleeves, drop waist and full party skirt which was topped off with a cluster of fabric roses on the bust line. 

This is the dress that she has redesigned into a gown for the Oscar competition – but it will be black instead of blue. The Academy hasn’t officially announced the 2010 competitio, but Fernanda is one of 10 finalists that will be participating in a runway show on February 23rd. 

Oscar fans will pick the winner by voting on oscars.com after the runway show. The final winner will be announed on the red carpet before the Academy Awards begin.  The anticipation is of course nerve racking for all the contestants, but Fernanda being a finalist makes her a winner already.   “It’s fun for me,” she says.

 

 
 

 Fernanda presented her Spring/Summer 2010 Collection during Downtown L.A. Fashion last fall after winning a $10,000 grant from the Fashion Angel Awards. The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) graduate working with a mixture of silk fabrics -- silk de chine, silk linen and silk charmeuse – sent symmetrical silhouettes with asymmetrical details down the runway.  With her palette of colorblock neutral pastels Fernanda’s design style involved asymmetrical peplum pleats and slanted hemline tiers.  "I love the feel of silk," she says.  "It looks expensive and you feel good when you wear it."

 

“My line is very tailored and fitted to the body,” says the designer.  “I use the princess seam a lot.  I‘m very body conscious.  Her fashion philosophy has been formed from first hand shopping experience.  “I’m Brazilian so I have a body that has curves.  I’m small on the top and wider in the hips.  I could never find anything to fit me off the rack.  So I don’t use standardized industry fit.”

Fernanda’s crafting in silk creates a soft silhouette that’s feminine and playful.  “I wanted to bring back femininity with floral accents – sort of a throw back retro. “  She gives it an edge with her use of color blocking combined with graphic designs.  “Silk is a simple fabric,” she says, “but the details that come with it make the difference.  Color blocking gives a good accent and makes things a little different.”