Holiday Special: Fashion To Die For-The Skintimate Collection
Steven Steinberry was an introverted 18-year-old who lived in the small town of Hooppole, IL. Upon graduating high school, he dreamed of becoming a famous fashion designer. Since he did not have a lot of friends, he used his alone time to create and draw innovative designs that he hoped would set the world by storm. He was bullied and often beaten up, especially by other boys. The girls would tease him and laugh at the stunts the other boys would pull.
Steven made a pact with himself that he would become a world-famous designer, come back to that small town, and come for everyone who doubted him.
Several years later, Steven moved to New York City and set out to do exactly what he had always dreamed of. He had many clients, many of whom were famous who came to him for the most outrageous and unthinkable designs. Steven was a different person now. No more was he the skinny, acne-ridden, introverted teenager; he was a world-class designer. He created several custom pieces throughout the years but decided it was time to branch out to make his own clothing line.
So he went back to the drawing board and started trying to create different designs but he couldn't come up with any new ideas. He needed inspiration and fuel. After all, fuel is what got him to this place in life. While trying to create, Steven received a phone call that his father died and that his mother needed him to come home right away. He promised his mother, he would fly out to be with her but would only stay for a few days. He knew being in Illinois was such a trigger for him but that is what fueled his creativity, so he kept the promise he made to his mother and booked the first flight back to his hometown.
Once he arrived, all the years of emotion hit Steven once he landed. He knew he was not the same person as he was when he left but it still bothered him to be back in the very place where he once felt trapped. The funeral service was later that evening, so he rushed home to be with his mom so they could have a moment to grieve together. Since Hooppole is such a small town, everyone who knew the family came out to the service. Many of Steven's old peers also attended the funeral. At the repass, several of Steven's old classmates came by and were very pleasant. They all were impressed with Steven's success and asked if he would like to come out for drinks. Steven was very surprised by the invite and for a split second thought that maybe everyone put the past behind them, so he accepted.
There were about 12 classmates that all attended the old hangout Steven had longed to be invited to since high school. They talked about old stories and drank liquor. Some even apologized for making a fool of him in school. Steven let his guard down and had an amazing time out drinking and laughing with some old peers that he thought he could consider.....well......friends.
A few days passed and he decided to stay a little while longer to help his mother out and to continue the connections he made with his new friends. He sat down with his sketch supplies and turned on the television, only to find pictures from the drunken night he had with friends on the news. They had sold unbecoming photos of him to the tabloids in hopes of ruining his reputation. This made Steven furious. So furious, he made several phone calls to these so-called friends. A few didn't answer, but one particular (Blake) answered the call laughing and said "You really thought because you're famous now we would be friends?! HA!!! I got $1500 worth of photos of you. What a way to make a quick buck!" Then Blake hung up the phone.
This set off a fury within Steven, he would never come back from. The bad press and betrayal once again fueled Steven's creativity like never before. He would lock himself in his old room from day until night working on these new designs. As the days passed, he came up with a plan to debut his new line and with Halloween coming up, what better time to showcase his outrageous pieces not only to the town but to the world?
Steven set up his showcase, inviting the who's who in the fashion industry. The people of Hooppole had never seen such a crowd of people from both locals to celebrities that came together in this small town that can barely be seen on the map. Steven would become the town's hero because of his success. Later that night, his showcase, 'Halloween Couture' began with familiar pieces that he designed for some of his major clientele. He came out and thanked everyone for showing up not only for him but the people of Hooppole. "No one will ever forget this night, this town, and my latest design collection!" said Steven. "I now present to you my most personal piece ever. I bring you 'SKINtimate Couture'!" As the models came out, people noticed how the designs fit the models perfectly. There were many nude colors that hugged the models with skin-like texture, color, and appearance of their bodies. This was innovative and different. No one had ever seen such lifelike designs before. As the crowd cheered and praised Steven for drawing attention not only to this small town but to a new wave of fashion.
A few days later, Steven would return to New York, with a feeling of pride and a sense of accomplishment. He was proud of the work he had done. But the show was not the only thing that put a spotlight on that small town in Illinois. Several murders took place within a short span of time. The victims were said to have been gruesomely dismembered and skinned. The families were distraught because most of them were unable to identify their family members without an autopsy or DNA testing. There were several stories of a serial killer beginning to swarm the news and eventually took over the buzz that was created by the fashion show.
Steven received several calls and messages regarding not only his designs but also what's been happening in the town since his departure. One call, in particular, came from one of his most famous clients requesting a piece that had debuted at the fashion show. He asked if he could duplicate the design for a feature in one of the most reputable magazines in New York City. As much as Steven wanted to accept the offer, he declined just by saying "Sorry, those pieces are one of a kind."
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!
