Hot Couture: A Fusion of Fashion & Fire
January 11 & 12, 2013
Doors at 7pm
Show at 8pm
(Standing room only. No reserved seating.)

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In celebration of The Crucible’s 14th Anniversary, we are excited to present Hot Couture: A Fusion of Fashion & Fire on January 11 & 12, 2013. Melding high fashion with industrial art, Hot Couture features world-class fire demonstrations, aerial artistry and a blazing showcase of wearable art from Bay Area designers.

Hot Couture will showcase creations from artist and fashion designers teams producing over 40 design concepts that illlustrate the intersection between fashion, traditional industrial materials and fabrication. Pieces will include a stained glass couture gown, custom corsetry embellished with interactive LED sensors and embedded 3D imagery, and warrior couture with welded steel and embossed leather.

The evening includes a special performance by Heather Katz on a fire-breathing violin constructed by Peter Kropf, accompanied by the dynamic aerial artistry of Rose Nisker.

Featured design houses and creators include: 

  • Alexandria Glowaski
  • Annamarta Dostourian (Chris Neimer, Kim Mirus, Laura DuBois, Patricia Natale, Richie Pattison, Veronica Rojas)
  • Avant Vouge (Sam Waller, Courtney Pheils, Celeste Flores)
  • Bonde (Bonnie Heras), Erin Mahoney & O’Lover Hats (Elwyn Crawford)
  • Coyote Counter Collective (Medium Reality, Rachel Lyra Hospodar, Miloh Alexander, Lara Grant, Rachel McConnell, Saan Nti, Sylvia Wood)
  • Heather Wakefield (Jennifer Remmers, Krysta Lynn Kober)
  • Jeaneen Brunck Designs (Katie Wolfenbarger, Danny Senn)
  • Latex Fashionistas
  • SENSOREE Design Lab (Kristin Neidlinger, Anthony “Asterisk” Ambuehl, Autumn Adamme, Chris Jefferies, David Dawson, Erik Johnson, Greg Ames, Stefanie Ku)

Bianca Starr Productions is bringing style from within through fashion coordination.

CASS, our official recycling partner and funders of our youth internship program, is the event sponsor for our stage and runway and has supplied forty tons of compacted aluminum for the construction of the stage and runway.


Proceeds from Hot Couture 2013 will benefit The Crucible’s educational programs. 

The Crucible is a nonprofit arts education facility serving more than 5,000 students through youth and adult arts education programs each year with a dedicated mission to Arts, Industry, and Community. Through training in the fine and industrial arts, The Crucible promotes creative expression, reuse of materials, and innovative design, while serving as an accessible arts venue for the general public.

The Crucible, 1260 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94607 [map]

Press contacts: Kristy Alfieri (Education Director) kristy@thecrucible.org / Steven Young (Executive Director) stevenyoung@thecrucible.org / Sarah Dabby (Communications) sdabby@thecrucible.org


Photos from Hot Couture 2008

The Crucible’s Hot Couture 2013 is possible through the generous sponsorship and donations from: