Vote For MHS Grad's Dress Design

One of graduates is looking for your help to win a People's Choice award in a fashion contest Thursday night.

On Thursday, Feb. 2, Teresa Calabro, a student at Fisher College, will compete dress against dress with 10 other Boston-area fashion designers in Project Debussy, a contest in which fashion students were tasked with designing a dress inspired by the music of Claude Debussy. Calabro's design earned her a spot as a finalist in the competition.

In addition to the formal judging that will be conducted at the event, fashion fans around the world will also be able to vote for a "people's choice" award at www.facebook.com/bostonsymphony or www.twitter.com/bostonsymphony, by entering the favored entry, along with the phrase #projectdeb. Votes must be made between 7:30 and 9 p.m. on Feb. 2. According to Calabro, there will be a poll featured on Facebook. To vote for Calabro on Twitter enter her name with the #projectdeb hashtag.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra will present Project Debussy, scheduled in conjunction with upcoming BSO concerts featuring Debussy's La Mer, on Feb. 2 at Symphony Hall. The Project Debussy contest will feature the 11 contestants' evening wear designs. Symphony Hall doors will open at 7 p.m. on Thursday, allowing patrons to view and vote on the dresses, presented by models chosen by the designers, and enjoy the festive Symphony Hall atmosphere before taking their seats for the 8 p.m. concert. The winner of Project Debussy will be announced at a special post-concert fashion event and reception in Higginson Hall.

Project Debussy is the fourth fashion competition based on the works of a composer held at Symphony Hall. The first event was Project Mozart, which took place during the 2008-09 season, followed by Project Tchaikovsky (2009-10) and Project Beethoven (2010-11). Past winners of the competition include Lowander Lee from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Project Mozart), Rain Delisle from Massachusetts College of Art and Design (Project Tchaikovsky); and Maria Canada from Rhode Island School of Design (Project Beethoven).

Calabro will compete against students from The School of Fashion Design, Massachusetts College of Arts and Design, Mount Ida College, Framingham State University and Lasell College. Each contestant has been given $100 toward the production of his or her design.

The winner of Project Debussy will be determined by a judging panel including Catheline van den Branden, president and executive director of the French Cultural Center; fashion designer Sara Campbell; Jonathan Soroff, features writer and social columnist from the Improper Bostonian; Alan Bilzerian, owner of the Alan Bilzerian clothing boutique; and Althea Blackford, executive producer and host of Style It Up. Jared Bowen, Emmy Award-winning arts reporter for WGBH's Greater Boston, will serve as the emcee for the post-concert event.

The French Cultural Center will provide a special grant of $1,000 for the winner of Project Debussy. Copley Place will provide gift bags for the designers and models. Hearts on Fire has generously offered a piece of diamond jewelry as a prize, and the shop will allow contestants to pull from its own collection to accessorize their models.

Project Debussy is made possible with support from Boston Magazine, fashion consultant Kathy Benharris, photographer William Downey, makeup artist Debra Macki, and Brandon Keith Hair.

To see all of the dresses in sketch format, there is an album on the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Facebook page with each design.