Despite the showers, gray skies and winds of Hurricane Dorian, the sixth annual Fishin’ For Fashion (FFF) Show models took to the lobster crate runway looking fabulous!

The coveted People’s Choice Original Design Winner was Sandy Barry. Model Catherine Tracy wore the completely handmade design from the amazing muscle shell necklace and bag and dyed sail cloth and netting; the top was cable knit marine twine. The look was elegant … and every woman in the audience (if they’re honest) wanted it. Of course, where we’d all wear it would have to be figured out later … but wear it we would!

To recap, the judges were Mark Osborn (Topside Inn), Lisa Best (photographer) Mary St. Pierre (TownSquare Media)  and Anastasia Stevenson, formerly of Los Angeles, with her own clothing line (and additional experience in the floral and wedding industry), now living in Boothbay Harbor.

And here’s who they chose ...

Judge’s Choice Original Designer First Place Winner: Connie Faulkingham, modeled by her daughter, Madison Faulkingham. Connie’s design of slacks and top was very sleek and wearable, made from sail cloth, vinyl and grommets with incredible stitching detail, and accessorized with matching shoes and bag. Anyone could wear this ensemble to the movies, the theater … or just a night on the town.

Judge’s Choice Original Design Second Place: Lorna Andrews. Model Charlee Fuchswanz looked stunning in Andrews’ ultra-modern design using a vintage signal flag dress topped with white strapping. Even the umbrella was made of strapping! It was a sensational design … harkening back to the 1960s … you could easily have seen Jean Shrimpton walking down a runway wearing it. The outfit was completed with a lobster band and jewelry crocheted bag.

Judge’s Choice Original Design Third Place: Team Calypso created another design in the show that had a very mid- to late-1960s vibe. Model Kathleen Sheehan Viens wore the dress of marine canvas cover, fasteners and more. And the boots! Forget about those go-go boots, ladies! This model was rockin’ hand painted boots by Susan Brackett – and, though it goes without saying for everyone who knows her – the design was totally original. Kathleen was overheard to say, “I was born in the wrong era,” and that’s just how groovy the outfit was. Attached to the back of the dress was a foam core fish on a fishing pole attached to Kathleen with fishing wire thanks to Bob Eisele of Boothbay Harbor Framers. Susan had a poster from her youth with this message: “War is not healthy for kids and other living things” - a copy of which was adhered to one side of the fish, and Charlie Brown and Snoopy appeared on the other side.Twiggy would have really dug this one.

Best Student Design Winner: Della Hahn. Della took to the runway in an original design again this year in deconstructed yellow oil skins for her skirt and jacket. The top was sheared canvas painted with marine boat paint. Her original design necklace featured the shell of the first oyster she ever ate at Harbor Fest 2015. Fresh. Cool. Chic. Go Della!

And this year the judges awarded an Honorable Mention to Jeanine and Tim O’Brien of Wharf Warp Designs in Freeport. The couple heard about the fashion show on WCLZ just one week before the show. But … their colorful design was a real knockout. Made in seven days, it used 13 pounds of reclaimed float rope, interlaced in a circle pattern the length of the dress – with a train.

More local shop owners showed off some of their threads: House of Logan, Gretchen’s Closet, Janson’s Clothing Store, Maine & Ivy, Slick’s Boutique, Calypso, sweet bay, Boothbay Harbor Framers, Olivia Halo Designs, A Silver Lining (jewelry for many of the models), The Village Store, Two Salty Dogs, Boothbay Harbor Apparel  and Miss Marigold’s Vintage.

Behind the scenes helping to make the magic were makeup artist Liz DiGiulian; hairstylists Annette Nager and Betsy Pitcher of Shear Artistry; and the back stage fashion show crew: Dana Paolillo, Gigi Frost and model Kathleen Sheehan Viens.

Modeling the original designs and local merchant clothes were Grace K. Campbell, Kylie Brown, Cortney Meader, Hali Goodwin, Della Hahn, Nicholas Morley, Isabel Harkins, Chloe Arsenault, Maddie Faulkingham, Ally Nein, Katie Nein, Rowan Kristan, Sydney Blake, Fox Elder, Graham Harris, Lexi Haedrich, Sarah Harris, Emme Harris, Catherine Tracy, Dusty and Amy Goodwin, July Hasch, Katie Sibley, Kara Weiske, Josey Smith, Ida Lancaster, Connie Colby, Stacey Laird, Kathleen Sheehan-Viens, Pam O’Connor, Laura “Mrs. H” Honey, Delly Clarkson, Deanne Clarkson, and Charlene Fuchswanz,

The Fishin For Fashion Show is the brainchild of Dana Paolillo after she’d attended a fashion show called Project Blue Wrap in Portland. The designer creations were composed of recycled plastic material called wrap used to cover surgical equipment in transport to operating rooms. Paolillo thought it was a great idea for the Boothbay Harbor region; all that needed to be done was to change up the materials by highlighting the region’s marine heritage. Why not use materials from the fishing, lobstering and boat building industries?

Why not, indeed! Boothbay Harbor Fest creator and organizer extraordinaire Lori Reynolds says that after Paolillo told her the idea she added, “But I don’t want anything to do with it.” As we all know, six years later, Paolillo was still the driving force behind the show. Last year she talked about retiring from the event, but after this year’s show, she’s been clear about stepping down.