Kayne Gillaspie
Encyclopedia
Johnathan Kayne Gillaspie (born March 14, 1979) is an American
fashion designer, specializing in beauty pageant gowns. He was a contestant on the third season of the Bravo reality series Project Runway after being rejected during second-season auditions.
, where he studied pre-veterinarian medicine. While working at a veterinary clinic for four and a half years, he took a second job as a sketch artist at a local pageant boutique in Tennessee. Gillaspie quickly became enamored with fashion, changed his major and transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology
(FIT) in New York City. In 2002, he won the Critics Choice Award at FIT for evening wear and graduated magna cum laude. He moved back to Nashville after graduation and opened Kayne's Clothing Boutique, where he created custom ballroom dance costumes, evening wear, and wardrobe for the country music
industry.
In 2003, the openly gay Gillaspie and his former partner bought Southern Charm/Alter Ego, an established formal wear and pageant store in Norman, Oklahoma
. Gillaspie and the store were both featured on an episode of the MTV
reality series Tiara Girls. In December, 2005, he dressed the entire top five teens and the winner and first runner up in the Miss Oklahoma U.S.A. pageant.
Gillaspie is no longer associated with Southern Charm/Alter Ego. He now works out of his studio in Norman and travels extensively showcasing his private collection, his exclusive line with WOW prom and pageant, and his shoe line through Benjamin Walk.
For the 2008 Miss America
Pageant, in Las Vegas, Gillaspie had several designs featured on contestants, including the talent costume for first runner-up, Miss Indiana Nicole Rash.
On April 28 and 29, 2008, Gillaspie was a guest star at the Broadway Cares Easter Bonnet Competition. The competition, which is reputed to be the hottest ticket on Broadway http://www.bcefa.org/events/easter.cfm, is held in New York City
at the Minskoff Theatre
, home of The Lion King (musical)
.
Gillaspie has been featured in numerous magazines, and is on the cover of the May 2008 edition of Distinctly Oklahoma Magazine with a feature story inside. On April 30, 2008 he was interviewed on KWTV
News 9 talking about his career, article in the magazine, and also announced being involved with an upcoming television show on E!
Television Network.
On October 24, 2008, Gillaspie launched his newest line, called Kayne9, dog couture. The line is made in Oklahoma and is currently available for purchase from the Johnathan Kayne Studio located in Norman, OK
for Miss USA
Tara Conner
to wear in the Miss Universe
pageant. Tara went on to be placed fourth runner up in the Miss Universe pageant wearing her custom made dress. He was the tenth competitor to be eliminated (eleventh overall to leave the show) during season three, making him the last contestant to be eliminated before New York's Fashion Week
. He lost the "Black and White" challenge, in which designers had to make cocktail dress
es using only the aforementioned colors. Gillaspie was not the only competitor to go home during that challenge; previously eliminated contestants Angela Keslar and Vincent Libretti were brought back for the challenge as a reward for previous wins, yet were sent home again.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fashion designer, specializing in beauty pageant gowns. He was a contestant on the third season of the Bravo reality series Project Runway after being rejected during second-season auditions.
Education and career
Gillaspie earned a full scholarship to Volunteer State Community CollegeVolunteer State Community College
Volunteer State Community College is a publicly-supported two-year community college located in Gallatin, Tennessee and operated under the auspices of the Tennessee Board of Regents....
, where he studied pre-veterinarian medicine. While working at a veterinary clinic for four and a half years, he took a second job as a sketch artist at a local pageant boutique in Tennessee. Gillaspie quickly became enamored with fashion, changed his major and transferred to the Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
(FIT) in New York City. In 2002, he won the Critics Choice Award at FIT for evening wear and graduated magna cum laude. He moved back to Nashville after graduation and opened Kayne's Clothing Boutique, where he created custom ballroom dance costumes, evening wear, and wardrobe for the country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
industry.
In 2003, the openly gay Gillaspie and his former partner bought Southern Charm/Alter Ego, an established formal wear and pageant store in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
. Gillaspie and the store were both featured on an episode of the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
reality series Tiara Girls. In December, 2005, he dressed the entire top five teens and the winner and first runner up in the Miss Oklahoma U.S.A. pageant.
Gillaspie is no longer associated with Southern Charm/Alter Ego. He now works out of his studio in Norman and travels extensively showcasing his private collection, his exclusive line with WOW prom and pageant, and his shoe line through Benjamin Walk.
For the 2008 Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Pageant, in Las Vegas, Gillaspie had several designs featured on contestants, including the talent costume for first runner-up, Miss Indiana Nicole Rash.
On April 28 and 29, 2008, Gillaspie was a guest star at the Broadway Cares Easter Bonnet Competition. The competition, which is reputed to be the hottest ticket on Broadway http://www.bcefa.org/events/easter.cfm, is held in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
at the Minskoff Theatre
Minskoff Theatre
The Minskoff Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre, located at 1515 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan. It is now showing the musical The Lion King, based on the Disney animated film of the same name....
, home of The Lion King (musical)
The Lion King (musical)
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice along with the musical score created by Hans Zimmer with choral arrangements by Lebo M. Directed by Julie Taymor, the musical features actors in animal costumes as well...
.
Gillaspie has been featured in numerous magazines, and is on the cover of the May 2008 edition of Distinctly Oklahoma Magazine with a feature story inside. On April 30, 2008 he was interviewed on KWTV
KWTV
KWTV-DT, virtual channel 9 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; it is owned by Griffin Communications of Oklahoma City...
News 9 talking about his career, article in the magazine, and also announced being involved with an upcoming television show on E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
Television Network.
On October 24, 2008, Gillaspie launched his newest line, called Kayne9, dog couture. The line is made in Oklahoma and is currently available for purchase from the Johnathan Kayne Studio located in Norman, OK
Project Runway
While appearing on Project Runway, Gillaspie won the "Fit for a Queen" challenge that required designers to create an evening gownEvening gown
An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
for Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
Tara Conner
Tara Conner
Tara Elizabeth Conner is an American beauty queen and model, who was Miss USA 2006 and has also competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants. Apart from her role as Miss USA, Conner has been employed as a model. She was a featured model on the HDNet series Bikini Fantasies in 2004,...
to wear in the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
pageant. Tara went on to be placed fourth runner up in the Miss Universe pageant wearing her custom made dress. He was the tenth competitor to be eliminated (eleventh overall to leave the show) during season three, making him the last contestant to be eliminated before New York's Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
. He lost the "Black and White" challenge, in which designers had to make cocktail dress
Cocktail dress
A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a woman's dress worn at cocktail parties, and semi-formal, or "black tie" occasions.The length of cocktail dresses varies depending on fashion and local custom. The length ranges from just above the knee to touching the ankle...
es using only the aforementioned colors. Gillaspie was not the only competitor to go home during that challenge; previously eliminated contestants Angela Keslar and Vincent Libretti were brought back for the challenge as a reward for previous wins, yet were sent home again.
External links
- Bravo biography of Kayne Gillaspie
- Official site
- Interview with Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
- Interview with OutOut (magazine)Out is a popular gay and lesbian fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle magazine, with the highest circulation of any gay monthly publication in the United States. It carries itself in a similar editorial manner to Details, Esquire, and GQ. Out was published by PlanetOut Inc...
- Interview with afterelton.com
- Runway' star comes to NEWS 9 from KWTVKWTVKWTV-DT, virtual channel 9 , is the CBS-affiliated television station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; it is owned by Griffin Communications of Oklahoma City...
- Cover Story for Distinctly Oklahoma