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

By Patricia Calhoun Tue., Aug. 2 2011 at 7:02 AM

Categories: Calhoun: Wake-Up Call

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.

Fallene Wells's dress made of yoga pants...and a puking clown.

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.