September Judges

Yes, you read that right: judges. This month, we’re excited to invite two of our more successful entrants to try their hand at judging. They’ll each be asked to pick their three favorite September entries, so we’ll have six winners this month. Both have won several times, they always bring something new to the contest, and we’re thrilled to have them lending their opinions this month. Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to your judges for this cycle of Thrift Store Runway:

Pat Crummer resides in Los Angeles and currently manages a department in a high-end specialty store in Beverly Hills. She attributes her fashion expertise to her various sales jobs at upscale retail stores where she found success by virtue of her keen eye for spotting trends early on. Her love of great workmanship and quality fabric comes in handy when “working” a thrift store. She stumbled onto to thrifting a few years ago, when she realized that while she was surrounded by beautiful, luxurious things every day, the cost was simply unjustifiable. She now spends copious amounts of her free time going to local Goodwills several times daily and, as she says “the thrifting gods have been good to her.” She has found Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and collectible vintage in her daily hunts at almost ridiculous prices. Her main closet (a converted 2 car garage) holds over 500 pairs of shoes, and multiple racks of clothing and accessories. She has over 100 albums dedicated to thrifting on Facebook with no end in sight.  She lives by her favorite phrase “get your thrift on!”

Isaiah Johnson is a 22-year-old artist currently attending Saint Augustine’s University. He is studying to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Art with a Minor in English. He has a strong passion for photography, poetry, fashion and art, and uses them as vessels for self-expression. His ultimate dream is do design affordable menswear, become a stylist, publish a book of poetry, grow as a photographer, and to create a center for children to express themselves through them any forms of art. Isaiah also has a strong passion for thrift, which can be seen through his many fashionable looks that he has submitted to Thrift Store Runway, and exhibited on his blog, A Collected Gentleman.