The Gwen Dupray Costume Design Scholarship Fund
Goal: A scholarship fund to help talented sewers get their start in Costume Design and ensure Gwen Dupray's legacy lives on.
Background: The fabric of her life was literally fabric. Her business cards read: “Sew Anything”, and Gwen Dupray really could. She produced life-size frog, fish, and bookworm costumes; she sewed hundreds and hundreds of dance costumes; she created wedding gowns, evening gowns, prom dresses, and show-stopping showgirl costumes dripping in sequins and rhinestones. From nuns’ habits to period gowns for the likes of Camryn Manheim (one of her favorite celebrities), Gwen was always ready to tackle any new creation, usually without a pattern.
She sewed for women who wore sizes 2 to 32; for men who participated in Native American cultural festivals and Civil War reenactments; for police officers and pageant queens; for high school choral groups and community theater houses; for actors, brides, babies and senior citizens on fixed incomes. Always, she overdelivered and undercharged. Over the years, she amassed a costume collection that literally filled her entire two-story house.
A non-smoker, Gwen Dupray died on August 30, 2019 from Stage IV small cell lung cancer. During her final days in the hospital, we discussed her legacy and what should be done with her life's work, her prized collection of costumes. We envisioned a plan where we could donate a curated collection to a community theater and host a gala fundraiser to raise enough money to create a scholarship endowment for budding costumers in the theater arts. She loved the idea!
After mourning our profound loss, we started to get to work. Then, COVID hit, darkening theaters and bringing our work to a screeching halt for a number of reasons. Now, two years later, we're ready to turn Gwen's final dream into a reality - with a twist.
Our Fundraising Proposal: To raise the $25,000 minimum needed to start an endowment (a perpetual scholarship so Gwen's legacy can live on) we have started this fund to accept donations in any amount, and to offer a piece of her vast collection of fabrics, patterns, sewing notions, and vintage clothing, accessories and costumes in exchange for any sizable donations to the scholarship fund.
In Exchange for Your Gift: Every donation, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated. For donations of $50 or more, if you would like, it would be our pleasure to send you a memento from Mom's collection. It could be a fat quarter, a vintage pattern, a jar of buttons, a vintage bow tie, a vintage pair of gloves, or a vintage hat or purse, depending on the size of the donation.
Donations By Mail:We will also be adding offline donations to the fundraiser. If you'd like to donate, but prefer to send a check you can mail it to:
The Gwen Dupray Costume Design Scholarship Fund
c/o Charlene Dupray
822 Orange Street
Wilmington, NC 28401 USA
Thank you, in advance, for your support.
Also Seeking Talented Fabric Artists: We are also seeking seamstresses, quilters, knitters, and other fabric artists who would be interested in participating in what we are calling "The Finishing Stitch Project." Like most people who love fabrics and fibers, Gwen saw possibilities in every skein of yarn and every yard of fabric she acquired. She regretted that there simply wasn't enough time to finish all of the projects she started. If you are interested in finishing one of her knitting, quilting or sewing projects, please contact us. In exchange, we request that you email us a photo(s) of the finished project. To volunteer for a project, contact Charlene at thefinishingstitchproject at gmail dot com.
Thank You: Thank you, in advance, for supporting our desire to give other talented sewers their start and help Gwen Dupray's legacy live on. Please follow along with this fundraiser - you can read more about her life, see costumes she created, learn what we're doing with her 2-ton supply of fabric and notions (seriously- we're not exaggerating) and, hopefully, watch this fund grow in the weeks to come.