If it were possible to quantify independence in fashion design, Laura Thapthimkuna would be off the charts. This young designer melds fashion, art and science into garments that are utterly stunning and thought-provoking.

After graduating from The International Academy of Design and Technology, Laura interned with renowned fiber artist Nick Cave. Like Cave, Laura possesses a notable confidence in her conceptual approach to fashion and with mentors such as Julian Roberts, it’s no wonder that she’s comfortable pushing boundaries and blurring the lines between fashion and art.

Inspired by scientific subjects and imagery, her current collection grew from a fascination with embryonic development and bacterial forms. She used textures found in bacteria and anatomy to propel her towards creations that have strong three-dimensional elements. With creative pieces that are voluminous and interesting from all views, whether it be the hundreds of small nodules that compose a vest or the billowing beard-shaped top that literally ensconces its wearer or the top that seems to include a built-in sling for an arm, Laura challenges notions of fashion and the very idea of clothing.

While most of her pieces would stop traffic when worn on the street, Laura is comfortable with this. After all, she says, “art is supposed to provoke people.” When articulating her vision, Laura says, “I try to design something that has interesting elements from all views. Having a strong three-dimensional aspect to my work is important; to me the front is just as important as the back and a design should honor all parts of the body it covers.”

By designing highly conceptual works, Laura clearly has eschewed the more commercial route, but it’s a decision that she’s happy with. “I can’t stand mediocrity in design,” she says. “I always try to design pieces that challenge the mind.” And others clearly share this belief in the importance of challenging traditional notions of fashion and design. The cutting-edge boutique Gamma Player recently picked up Laura’s collection and will begin carrying it with an opening evening on November 7 (See Style Events). (Kari Skaflen)

Every year, dozens and dozens of designers show at Fashion Focus Chicago, many for the first time. Here are a few, beyond Maria Pinto of course, who seemed especially buzzworthy this year.

Shorty Clothing
Shorty bookended the week, opening with GenArt’s Fresh Faces in Fashion and closing out by winning Macy’s Distinction in Design competition.

5p1t
5p1t’s on a roll of its own, starting with recognition by Fashion Group International as a Chicago Rising Star, followed by an appearance in the venerable “Chicago is Red Hot” show and capped by an appearance at Fashion Focus in Macy’s Designers of Chicago show.

Abigail Glaum-Lathbury
Glaum-Lathbury was one of the few designers repeating an appearance from last year (when she was a GenArt Fresh Face), with her show as part of the Allure of Couture evening.

Agga B
Agga B was one of four local designers sponsored by Toyota to develop work inspired by its i-REAL concept; she also showed as one of the inaugural designers in the Chicago Fashion Incubator project housed at Macy’s.

Anna Fong
Another Toyota i-REAL designer, Fong showed during the Macy’s Designers of Chicago show; she’s been picked up to be sold at Macy’s this fall.
—Brian Hieggelke

This week, millions of Americans will watch the season finale of Bravo’s “Project Runway” as three designers show collections at New York Fashion Week and vie for the top prize. Chicago native Terri Stevens will not be among the three, though she came close, getting “auf’d” in the ninth episode. But she will be back in her hometown this week (she lives and works in Columbus, Ohio as a visual merchandiser for Victoria’s Secret) when she presents her fall collection at The Silver Room, which is owned by her lifelong friend Eric Williams. “We grew up together,” Stevens says. Our families go way back.”

After growing up in south suburban Robbins, Stevens spent her adult years in Chicago, most recently the West Loop, prior to her move to Columbus just over a year ago. She learned the fashion business while working for designer Barbara Bates (”my mentor”), who also sells Stevens’ line at her South Wabash studio. Stevens now produces both her original Michael Joseph line and her more casual line, Funkinbeautiful.

She’s launching her fall collection on Saturday with the theme, “A Journey to See the Wiz.” I love ‘The Wiz,’” Stevens says. “I was watching the movie a while back and got inspired.” She promises “no scarecrows” but that fans of “The Wiz” will see “scarecrow-inspired designs with bits and pieces of lion and tin man” and recognizable “textures, fabrications and silhouettes.”

It’s not the first time Stevens has tackled lions, so to speak, since the king of the jungle led to her demise on “Project Runway,” in an episode where she was portrayed virtually devouring her assistant, ousted designer Keith Bryce. On the show, Stevens came off as a badass with the stuff to back it up and was a fan favorite to make it all the way to the finale. She was a strong designer, a very fast sewer and had a thing for pants. Even though she was portrayed with an occasional mean streak on the show, she couldn’t be friendlier on the phone. So how did “Project Runway” change her life? “I am so recognized everywhere,” she says. “People freak out and cry. It’s just reality TV, not like I put out a record or something. I’m like, really.” She adds that the show brings great opportunities, but they need to be taken with a grain of salt. So what did she think of the way she was seen on television? “I was portrayed the way I am. And I am a big personality.” (Brian Hieggelke)

Terri Stevens presents her fall collection in a fashion and trunk show, “A Journey to See The Wiz,” on October 18, 7pm-midnight, at The Silver Room, 1442 North Milwaukee. RSVP to susan@thesilverroom.com.

Each fall, Gen Art kicks off Fashion Focus with its anointment of the latest and greatest emerging local designers amidst a charged-up atmosphere that somewhat successfully imitates the elitist air of fashion in New York. While jewelry and accessories designers have to stand in the hall, so to speak, the fashion designers get a runway showcase, complete with front-row celebrities (Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson), local celebrities (the usual suspects) and an enthusiastic audience who’ve paid good money, or schmoozed the right people, to be here.

Here’s our take on this year’s fashion designers, each accompanied with a slideshow of photos supplied by Gen Art.  (Brian Hieggelke)

Sophia Reyes
Frei Designs
Shorty
Philip Sparks
Elise Bergman
Eskell

Sophia Reyes debuted a muted palette for spring in her accessible line, highlighted with pleasing details rather than bold ideas. Black and white dominate (except for an incongruous, though not unpleasant, burst of purple), with patterns and small details in her dresses elevating this very market-friendly line above the mundane.

Anne Novotny’s eco-friendly Frei Designs offers elaborate constructions, with layering, color and fabric choices that seem both original and individualistic. She does creative things with “barnacles” of fabric that manage to work in non-obtrusive ways. The line was the first of the evening to introduce what would become the dominant color spectrum (peach/rust/copper), with shades of rust throughout. Novotny’s looks are creative but wearable; that is, perhaps except for the over-the-top scarf that closed her show on a surprising note that evoked “Halloween costume.”  Nevertheless, her show really had something to say and stood as one of the night’s highlights.

Read the Boutiqueville profile of Frei Designs

The design collective Shorty made its statement with big hair. And peach-peach-peach, plus pops of purple, green and color. With short, flowy, even gauzy dresses, Shorty evokes a dreamlike spring season. And they’re not confined by their name, with a variety of dress lengths both short and long. They’ve even got a prom dress for Miss America, if she needs it.

Apparently we don’t have much of a menswear design scene here in Chicago, because Gen Art reached out to Toronto designer Philip Sparks to represent. Not a bad choice though, as Sparks crafts a contemporary silhouette out of classic retro ideas. Think cocktails at the tennis club with gold cotton v-neck sweaters, sort of a Bill Tilden chic—if Bill Tilden wore short shorts, that is. By day, the Philip Sparks man is a Poindexter, in bow tie, who sometimes wears a blazer with his short shorts. But he knows how to step out in style—just take a gander at his monochromatic three-piece grey glen plaid suit, with skinny pants and a textured gray tie on gray shirt. Dapper!

Elise Bergman showed why she’s taking off in Chicago, with her accessible but feminine collection. Smart details, varying hem lengths—something for everyone, but nothing crazy. Lots of beige, perhaps in more than one sense of the word.

Read Boutiqueville’s profile of Elise Bergman

The design duo behind Eskell, Elizabeth Del Castillo and Kelly Whitesell, were a great choice to close the show, with their vintage-inspired fashions and strong sense of vision. They’re masters of taking unconventional approaches, like a zipper-front dress, and making it look anything-but-contrived. I’m not sure I’m in love with the high-waisted shorts—a little too Olivia Newton-John-gets-Physical for me. Like Frei Designs, Eskell’s strong flavor is not for every taste. But there’s a definite opinion here, and you can agree or disagree. Oh, and I did mention the colors peach and beige?

Read about Eskell’s boutique here