A dress and cape made of Johnsonite’s Optima sheet vinyl, Harmonium xf linoleum tile, ID Premier lvt, welding rods and wall base took first prize in this year’s Product Runway fashion show. The pieces were designed by Lexington, Ky.-based Deborah Drury Interior Design and students from the University of Kentucky.

Hosted by the Ohio/Kentucky chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the annual event, held in cities nationwide, pairs design firms and interior design students with manufacturers of interior finishing products, challenging them to create high-fashion ensembles using only the materials provided by their sponsor.

The winning team consisted of Deborah Drury, UK alumna and owner of Deborah Drury Interior Design, Lori Gibson of CDC Distributors, Inc., and UK interior design students Rula Al-Obaidi, Lexie Foellger, Elizabeth Harr, Abby Hyland, McKenize Jolly and Gracie Vinyard. Together the team worked to create “Sleek Sophistication,” an ensemble inspired by couture evening gowns and constructed exclusively using flooring and finishing products from Johnsonite, the team’s partner and sponsor.

Sustainable jute, a material found on the backing of Johnsonite's Harmonium xf Linoleum, was used to create a cape for the winning design.  The dress’ bodice detail was made of I.D. Premier lvt and plank vinyl flooring with mirrored ceramic tile that echoed the materials used in the outer cape. The long fringed skirt of the gown was made from vinyl welding rods and Johnsonite's Optima iQ Homogeneous Sheet vinyl flooring. Both the cuffs and the neck collar were made from the company’s Wall Art Decorative wall base and weld rod.

The judging and runway show was held in the Henry Clay building in Louisville, Kentucky and attended by the majority of the Louisville design community. The Drury Johnsonite team was chosen first among seventeen teams, with with various major manufacturers and design firms participating. Product Runway is a charity event, with all participants and models volunteering and all materials donated and all proceeds went to the Dress for Success charity.

“This was a great event, where the designers and the products had a chance to really shine,” said Lori Gibson, manufacturers representative with CDC Distributors, Inc., a partner of Johnsonite and joint sponsor of the Drury Johnsonite team. “If a fabulous looking garment can be made from Johnsonite’s products, then imagine how amazing can we make a floor.”