Mon, 06/16/2025 - 11:30am

Harper Casey, 6, makes her runway debut in an outfit inspired by her father's lobster buoys. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

Olivia Paolillo shows off her flare skirt. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

8-year-old Luisa Flores’ octopus-themed outfit snagged her the Best Student Design Award. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

Returning designer July Hasch wins Judge's Third Place. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

Harper Casey, 6, makes her runway debut in an outfit inspired by her father's lobster buoys. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

Olivia Paolillo shows off her flare skirt. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

8-year-old Luisa Flores’ octopus-themed outfit snagged her the Best Student Design Award. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

Returning designer July Hasch wins Judge's Third Place. ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

ISABELLE CURTIS/Boothbay Register

It was a packed house June 14 at Bristol Marine for Fishin’ for Fashion’s tenth year of reeling in nautical couture.

Underscored by the jazzy stylings of The Wharf Cats, a rare burst of weekend sun allowed guests to enjoy all the festivities had to offer, including an outside Maker’s Market, which returned for its second year. Audience members also got a blast from the past with former designs taking the runway as the event closer in honor of the show’s anniversary.

The judges included Emcee Micheal Maxim’s mother Donna Maxim, owner of Weekend Vintage Kristen Furrow, and local influencer Meredith Steele.

Awards:

Best Handbag: The refashioned 1940s steel otter trawl created by Earl Brewer, who catwalked in high heels mosaiced with sea glass and a feathered cape made from bilge pads. Each feather was hand-traced, cut and dyed over 300 “painstaking” hours. “It’s not just fashion. It’s a love letter to the working coast,” read his artist’s statement.

Best Original Student Design: 8-year-old Luisa Flores. The outfit, fashioned by her grandmother, was inspired by the shapeshifting octopus to create a buoyant, bright pink skirt that flared with a pull to the life preserver around her waist.

People’s Choice Award: 6-year-old, and first-time participant, Harper Casey. The design, created by Heather Casey, paid homage to the lobster buoy colors of Harper’s father with a blue and white rope top and neon orange overshirt. The fisherman-themed outfit was topped off with a pair of lobster slippers donated by Log Cabin Shoes.

Judge’s Third Place: July Hasch. The returning designer called this year’s look a “little bit of everything” with a reversible puffer jacket, a halter top made from a deconstructed dive suit, and flowing sleeves and palazzo pants that embraced the natural flow of the sail material it was fashioned from.

Judge’s First Runner-Up: Team Calypso. The model, Kathleen Sheehan, donned a 38 x 28 foot electric blue sail-turned-ballgown. The matching handbag was stitched out of material from each of the 10 designs the team has entered over the competition's history.

The Judge’s Choice Award: Lorna Andrew, who once again stunned with her 10th entry to the show. This year, her granddaughter Olivia Paolillo wore a spring-inspired shirt and skirt combo that invoked a classic ‘50s silhouette, and was made from black and white poly and nylon netting, shrink wrap, oil diapers and life jacket material. The skirt also had a flare aspect created through a pulley system and fishing lure.