If there was ever any doubt about a front-running designer on the Caribbean reality show, Mission Catwalk — Season Two, Belizean contestant Rebecca Stirm’s emphatic fourth win has erased such uncertainty. Stirm, who has managed to repeatedly outperform her rivals, is tipped by loyal viewers of the hit TV show to win it all. Stirm won the challenge of designing a gown for a charity gala and a second garment for a charity luncheon inspired by an animal from the contestants’ visit to the Hope Zoo. This year’s Mission champ will rake in lucrative prizes, such as $500,000 funding to start a clothing line courtesy of NCB; an opportunity to show a collection at London Fashion Week 2012; equipment valued at $200,000 courtesy of Singer; a six-page editorial spread in Ocean Style magazine; a contract to sell their designs at Soho Boutique and a scholarship to pursue a fashion programme at London College of Fashion.

The final three contestants on Mission Catwalk will showcase their designs on the runway at next month’s Caribbean Fashion Week. In the meantime, SO shares Stirm’s winning design from episode nine. (Photos: Adrian Creary and Alty Benjamin Jr)

Rebecca’s take on her design:

“I chose the turtle because it is an unusual and unique animal that people didn’t already have preconceptions about what a dress inspired by that animal should look like,” Stirm tells SO Using a kaleidoscope-patterned fabric similar to the pattern on a turtle’s shell, Stirm created a gown with a dramatic neckline while using layers of different fabrics in circular cut-outs to create a skirt that would mimic a turtle’s shell, while still possessing a graceful flow and movement. For her second outfit, Stirm explained: “I focused more on the shape and silhouette of the turtle shell for the blouse, and the lines and texture of the turtle shell for the pencil skirt.” Stirm’s high scores won her a feature in the Style Observer as well as J$50,000 (US$583).

Piece One:

Turtle-inspired charity gala gown

Colour Palette:“I chose a muted green, grey, and beige palette with highlights of reds and oranges — turtle colours.” — Stirm

Fabric:“I found a piece of ‘highlight fabric’ that was perfect for my designs — a doublesided multi-coloured (red, yellow, beige, green, and orange) kaleidoscope-patterned fabric that was used to construct the neckline. I used about four different types of fabric for the cut-out layers of the dress to give the skirt area texture, depth and movement.”

Styling: “I kept the styling very simple, as the dress was already a statement on its own. I completed the look with very simple jewellery and no extra accessories.”

Piece Two:

Turtle-inspired charity luncheon design.

Colour palette: “The colourful kaleidoscope fabric was used as the focal point for this look, while a natural beige was used for the pencil skirt.”

Fabric: “The blouse was created from the colourful kaleidoscope fabric, while the pencil skirt was constructed using a beige textured suede fabric.”

Styling: “The styling was kept simple and natural with minimal accessories.”