Designs for a bright future

ADAMS — William D.H. Wratten is on pins and needles.

"Will," 18, as the eccentric South Jefferson High School senior is known, is a budding fashion designer who is off to a running start in the fashion industry.

In December, Mr. Wratten, a native of Adams, won the local portion of the Art Institute of California — San Francisco's "Passion for Fashion" fashion design competition. Placing first among nine prospective Art Institute of San Francisco students, he went on to compete nationally against 420 students accepted into art institutes throughout the nation. Only the top three were ranked in that contest but Mr. Wratten didn't land in the top three.

"This was my first time ever designing and sewing anything like this," he said about his black satin skirt, cumberbund-style belt and black and yellow polka- dotted blouse with a gathered neckline that garnered the first place prize of a $3,000 scholarship. "The only thing I'd ever sewn was a vest for prom that I made from a pattern. For this, I kind of just had an idea and went with it."

His blouse and skirt combination were judged in the national competition by Leanne Marshall, winner of "Project Runway" season five, fashion show producer Patty Hughes and Bruce E. Dempsey, vice president and academic affairs specialist for art institutes nationwide, among other industry insiders.

"The hardest part was fitting the stupid things on a size eight," he said of the competition's size requirement. "It was impossible to find someone who would let me fit it on them. My mom actually surprised me by buying me a dress form so I could make it on that."

His mother, Anna Belle Wratten, also gifted him a 1988 Husqvarna Viking sewing machine to construct his design projects on.

"The machine is older than I am and I have no idea how it still runs," Mr. Wratten said. "She bought it from her secretary, who bought it from the original owner, so the varnish is thick. She wouldn't buy me a new one; apparently she was worried I would change my mind and want to become a lawyer."

Mrs. Wratten said that she and William's father, James R., always knew William had incredible talent.

"He was drawing these ornate dresses for girls and sketching since before he was in kindergarten," Mrs. Wratten said. "I just knew he was going to do something in art or with his creativity. He's so excited about designing and in everything he does."

Although there was apprehension about letting her son move to the west coast, after touring the facilities at the art institute, Mrs. Wratten thinks William made a good choice.

"The school truly does look like it's from 'Project Runway,' just a little bit smaller," she said. "There are work rooms with wall-to-wall tables and dress forms."

As for sending William to California with a new sewing machine, that decision has been made.

"No, he won't be getting a new one," his mother said. "That's because he won't need it. They've got everything he needs and more there. His father and I will look into upgrading for him after graduation."

Among his pile of design sketches doodled on the back of homework assignments and test notes is a simple cocktail dress embellished with rope at the hip, a flirty party dress with ruffled stand-up collar and harlequin diamond bodice and a voluminous ball gown sketched in an unexpected plaid pattern.

"The plaid dress is actually something I'm working on for another competition, the Jo-Ann Fabrics prom dress challenge due this summer with a $50,000 cash prize," he said. "It's inspired by Alexander McQueen, it's kind of my tribute to him. I got the idea after seeing a photo of him with Sarah Jessica Parker and they were both dressed in McQueen plaid."

The late designer, McQueen, who died in February, isn't the only fashion entity from which the younger Mr. Wratten gets his inspiration.

"Jacqueline Kennedy, oh my God, I love Jackie Kennedy," he said. "I love the 1950s and '60s. Designers in that period learned from the designers of the 1920s and '30s, and that's really when haute couture (custom-made clothing) was born."

Even though the former first lady died when he was just three years old, Mr. Wratten still finds Mrs. Kennedy's ladylike fashions of the 1960s relevant.

"I've always been a fan of Chanel, and I really love the classic French design houses like Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, which she loved too. That's the kind of design I love to do, but I want to bring an edginess and some androgyny to it," he said.

When he's not digging through buttons, closures and fabric in his bedroom, Mr. Wratten is participating in the South Jefferson musical program and employed at Jreck Subs in Adams. He has two brothers, James A. Wratten, Adams, and Rob Wratten, Maryland, and a sister, Tamara McConnell, Pulaski.

"I'm kind of Sue Gamet's right-hand man for the musicals," he said of South Jefferson's musical director. "This year we're doing 'My Favorite Year' and I play the character Sy Benson, which is a great drinking name by the way. The best part is I have four glasses options that I ordered from Urban Outfitters for my costume."

Mr. Wratten is indispensable when it comes to costuming and costume design for school musicals, according to Mrs. Gamet.

"He's really been wonderful as far as organization of costumes and helping other students with their costumes," she said. "He's a good source for finding period-type costumes and he loves to do research."

Mrs. Gamet notes that Mr. Wratten is usually successful at finding vintage pieces for the musicals, either by shopping for them or digging through old things in a friend's attics.

"He can really help us find anything in terms of costumes," she said. "I'm excited for his future in fashion, except that he's leaving me!"

Mr. Wratten was drawn to the school musicals largely because they allow him to do something outside the box.

"I really enjoy the music department, and will miss it when I move to California," Will said. "Plays are all about being someone different, and I think that's what I like about fashion, too. You can be, and do, whatever you want."

This fall, Mr. Wratten will begin working toward a bachelor of fine arts degree in fashion design at the art institute in San Francisco. His goal, after graduating, is to land a junior design position at a major fashion house and develop his own label.

"My own label is pretty far down the line," he said. "I don't want to start my own brand until I know enough people in the industry. Right now I know Lee, who cuts my fabric at Jo-Ann Fabrics. That's it."

As he continues to work on his next project, with his eye on the $50,000 cash prize in the prom dress challenge, he's taken over his family home with patterns, bolts of fabric and borrowed gowns he's deconstructing to find out how dresses are made.

"I'm very spread out," he said. "Surprisingly, my parents don't really care. They just want me to pick up all the pins and needles off the floor."