fruit bowl 2024
March 30 - June 29, 2024 | Cherry Complex at Kremwerk
Fruit Bowl is a queer fashion competition produced by Mona Real and BeautyBoiz events occurring every last Saturday of the month through spring. With its third season at Cherry Nightclub, local professionals across fashion, drag & runway industries have come together “to Score Your Juiciest Couture''. Four contenders composed of individual artists or maker/model teams were selected and now must showcase their crafts & chops as design challenges come to life on a runway & as live staged performances.
TEAM HAUTE HONEY:
Designer and Director: Heidi Grace Acuña
Model/Performer: Hippolyta “Athame” Toussaint
Photo credit: @rattyfilm and Heidi Grace Acuña
june
Prompt: Chimera Fruit: The Mutant Root (above)
Create a look depicting your chimera fruit fusion: strawberry and mango
For our finale look, I wanted to pay tribute to Marsha P. Johnson this Pride weekend as seen in the pink off-the-shoulder dress, the purple sash (which reads in gold rhinestones “MS. LIBERATION 4 ALL”), pearl necklaces, and flower/fruit headpiece. The dress also references Chi-Chi Rodriguez’s first and final looks in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.
Prompt: Hold the Pulp: Squeeze the Puppet (below)
Create a look depicting your object of desire as a puppet: high heel
This look and performance was for the movie Dionne Davenport from Clueless should have! To adhere to the puppet prompt, I put strings on Hippolyta’s skirt to have 3 pairs of heels suspend/walk with her; and also a black light puppet moment with the red rope-light heels.
may
Prompt: My Blue Ribbon Winnin’ Rhubarb
Create a look using blue ribbon material.
I really wanted to celebrate ribbon and used it exclusively for the entire look. I also took inspiration from traditional Filipino baníg weaving to create the woven skirt.
Prompt: Fruit of the Groom
Contenders must upcycle underwear of any gender to present a formal menswear look.
For this look, I transformed lingerie bodysuits and teddies to use on the blazer shoulder pads, vest, and durag-veil.
Thank you @aries_silk for filling in for Hippolyta as model and performer!
april
Prompt: Feed Me Grapes: The Concubine’s Concord (above)
Create a purple boudoir look.
This is a full-body corset dress made entirely of lace. It is hand-dyed by me from off-white to a light purple. Grommets and ribbon lacing all done by me.
Prompt: Laced Apple & Glass Casket (below)
Serve a lace look that reveals from something else.
This look is made entirely out of lace! To abide to the casket prompt, I envisioned a zombie Sleeping Beauty look and performance.
Shoutout to Hippolyta for styling herself as I was out-of-town this weekend!
march
Prompt: Sucking on Cherries / Choking on Pits (red outfit below)
This was our first look for the competition! Honestly we were both confused with the prompts this month and I had a busy month of back-to-back projects but we made it! I created a halter top with jeweled cherries to emphasize the armpit. (If I had known I didn’t have to create a cherry look I may have created something different. I also thought having the armpit exposed already made it an armpit fetish look, but I realized later I could have really emphasized the fetish/kink factor!)
Prompt: Aesop’s Soursops: Prick the Lion’s Paw (black outfit below)
Create an animal theme look using spike material.
Again, with this being the first event of the competition, I had no idea what to expect/what was expected of me! So I took the prompt literally and we decided on a sea urchin inspired look. I created a micro bikini and poufy skirt with purple spikes.
