TV historian and writer Joanna Wilson will convert 1,500 DVD Netflix envelopes into a Halloween dress, thanks to a sponsorship from the company itself. (Photo courtesy: Joanna Wilson)
Akron-based TV historian/writer Joanna Wilson has been selected by DVD Netflix for a social media campaign that will transform her DVD envelope collection into a paper dress for Halloween. Now, she’s looking for a dress designer to create the paper dress.
When she first subscribed to DVD Netflix in 2005, Wilson noticed that the DVDs mailed to her home came in paper envelopes with an interesting texture. She decided to save the tear-off envelope fronts and save them, rather than throw them away. “I thought the paper envelopes would make an interesting craft project in the future,” she said. “Since the paper seems to withstand moisture — these envelopes have to go through the mail system in rain and snow — I fantasized that the paper might make an interesting dress or outfit one day.”
Now 13 years later, Wilson has a collection of more than 1,500 DVD Netflix envelope fronts.
In January, when DVD Netflix put out a call for interesting subscriber stories, Wilson shared her collection, and impressed with the sheer number, the DVD subscription service asked Wilson why she collected them, and she explained her dream of creating wearable art, perhaps for a Halloween outfit. DVD Netflix liked the idea so much, they decided to sponsor the dress to share on their social media, including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
With sponsorship from DVD Netflix, Wilson is looking for a fashion designer to make a dress or outfit from the 1,500 envelope fronts. “Ideally, I’d like to offer this opportunity to a Kent State University fashion student or University of Akron student that is inspired by this project,” said Wilson. However, she said she’s open to hearing from anyone with experience in fashion design or costume design who feels inspired by nontraditional materials, such as making a dress or outfit from paper. Wilson is accepting resumés from interested designers through the end of June.
Interested designers may email Wilson at [email protected], or through her website ChristmasTVHistory.com.
More about this project (including video) may be found at www.christmastvhistory.com/2018/05/dvdcomnetflix-paper-dress.html.
Joanna Wilson has collected more than 1,500 DVD Netflix envelope fronts from the research and work she does as a TV historian and writer. Specializing in writing about Christmas entertainment, her efforts have included four books on the history of Christmas entertainment, most notably Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies (2010) published through 1701 Press. Wilson has also written Triple Dog Dare: watching and Surviving the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story (2016), The Christmas TV Companion (2009), Merry Musical Christmas Vol. 1 (2012).
