Honorable Mention - Furniture
owner
Russell Garcia-Lechelt / lechelt woodworks

This dress fits a woman's size 6 to 7-1/2. I have been exploring the possibilities of making contemporary wooden-wear high fashion for several years, and this dress represents my latest design. We are changing the nature of wood by using modern tools, with an innovative pressing process that makes the veneer supple, durable and suitable for clothing. Even with the gold neck clasp, the dress weighs less than 1-1/2 pounds, and is quite comfortable to wear. The koa veneer clutch, made of wenge, koa, leather and brass works quite well, and scale earrings complete the ensemble. Micro thin veneer is only .02 mm thick-a third that of commercial stock. Koa is a particularly valuable wood, sought after for its rich variegated color and its connection to the Hawaiian Islands.

Judges' comment
"The inventive application of wood veneer with the subtle natural wood tones translates into an entirely new genre of fashion."