Fallene Wells showcases "puking clown" on Project Runway, but she's not clowning around

On Colorado Day, it seemed very appropriate to run into one of the creative entrepreneurs who are as much a part of this state's landscape as the Rockies: Denver designer and hair stylist Fallene Wells, one of our 2010 MasterMind winners and a contestant on this season's Project Runway...

By Patricia Calhoun

August 2, 2011

Audio By Carbonatix

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On Colorado Day, it seemed very appropriate to run into one of the creative entrepreneurs who are as much a part of this state's landscape as the Rockies: Denver designer and hair stylist Fallene Wells, one of our 2010 MasterMind winners and a contestant on this season's Project Runway.

Wells didn't get a lot of face time on the season premiere last Thursday, but she's clearly making a good impression. During introductions, a judge singled out her shorts -- created by Wells, of course.

And then, in the initial challenge -- which called for making an outfit out of a bedsheet and whatever the contestants had been sleeping in, without benefit of a stop by a washing machine -- Wells created a dress out of her yoga pants, and added a graphic patch from the T-shirt she'd been wearing -- an art shirt called "The Morning After," but better known as the "Puking Clown," by artist Paul Southworth.

It was definitely the first time a vomiting clown figure had been seen on this show (which has seen just about everything else), and Wells reports that the shirt, now on sale for $10 at Threadless.com, is going fast.

But then, it looks like Wells is on the fast track, too. Still, when we chatted last night, she was most excited about what the show could mean for the local fashion scene. And thanks to Wells and the other entrepreneurs who just keep creating in this town, Denver's looking very, very good.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

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