RESTON, VA — After spending 30 years helping patients see more clearly, Fairfax resident Dawn Devaney wants the fashion industry to see women with petite faces differently.
The 55-year-old optometrist and former owner of The Eyewear Gallery at Reston Town Center is competing in Next Runway Star, a national contest whose winner will receive $20,000 and an opportunity to walk in a show during New York Fashion Week.
As of Thursday, Devaney was ranked first in her quarterfinal group. She must finish first to reach the semifinals, according to her competition profile. Quarterfinal voting ends at 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28.
Devaney, who is 4 feet, 11 inches tall, entered the competition to call attention to the shortage of stylish eyeglass frames designed for women with smaller faces.
"The petite community wants to be stylish, and we don't have a lot of amazing choices," Devaney told Patch. "So, I want to fix that."
The idea comes from her personal experience and what she heard from customers during the 17 years she owned her Reston Town Center business. Devaney said women with small faces often resort to buying children's glasses, but those frames are not necessarily proportioned correctly for adults.
Although the front of a children's frame may fit, its temple arms can be too short to extend comfortably behind an adult's ears, she said.
"Women with small faces come in and nothing fits. The frames slide down, the temples are too long, the bridge is too wide," Devaney said. "A lot of them end up in the children's section. The industry just doesn't make enough for that face."
Devaney began exploring the idea of creating a petite eyewear line while taking online fashion business management classes. She developed the concept for a school project and began considering whether it could become a business.
"I'd like a woman with petite features to have real choices instead of settling for something in the kids' section," she said. "I believe that glasses are not only functional, but should also reflect who you are. Our motto at The Eyewear Gallery motto was always, 'Like a fine work of art, every face deserves a fabulous frame' and that includes petite women."
If she wins the competition, Devaney said she would use the $20,000 prize for design development, prototypes, fit refinements and a small initial collection. She stressed that the line has not yet launched and that her plans for the prize are contingent on winning.
Devaney took over her optometry practice in 2007, when her children were 1 and 3. She said owning the business allowed her to balance motherhood with her career while building relationships with patients and their families.
She differentiated the boutique by seeking distinctive independent eyewear brands rather than relying solely on conventional frame styles. That work took her to eyewear shows in New York, Italy and Paris.
"I was always on the other side of it, helping other people look great and trying to find frames to bring back to my practice to help more petite people," she said.
The practice was acquired in December 2023, although Devaney continues working at Reston Town Center. Its current location faces the green parking garage in the former ArtInsights space.
Fashion has also been part of Devaney's charitable work. She was a founding board member of Runway to the Cure, a fashion show featuring breast cancer survivors that raises money for breast cancer research and local programs.
Devaney said she entered Next Runway Star without expecting to advance this far.
"Honestly, I really just didn't even expect this at all," she said.
On her competition profile, Devaney describes the experience as a chance to show other women that they can reinvent themselves at any age.
"Confidence doesn't expire, and it's never too late to step into your spotlight," she wrote.
The semifinals are scheduled to run from Aug. 29 through Sept. 3, with the competition concluding Sept. 9, Devaney said.
Supporters may cast one free vote per day after verifying their identity through Facebook. Paid votes benefit Rise, a nonprofit advocating for survivors of sexual violence, which was selected by the competition.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Reston Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.