RESTON, VA — Fairfax optometrist Dawn Devaney has advanced another step toward a possible New York Fashion Week appearance and $20,000 prize, but she now faces a Thursday night deadline to keep her run going.
Devaney, 55, won her quarterfinal group Friday night in the Next Runway Star competition, advancing to the semifinals. As of Wednesday afternoon, she was in fourth place in her semifinal group. The competition website says she must finish first in the group to advance to the finals.
Voting in the semifinal round ends at 10 p.m. EDT Thursday, according to Devaney's competition page. The overall competition is scheduled to conclude Sept. 9.
Devaney, a Fairfax resident and former owner of The Eyewear Gallery at Reston Town Center, told Patch that the response to an earlier story about her campaign has reinforced her belief that petite women are underserved by the eyewear industry.
A Facebook group for petite women over 40 with about 40,000 members gave Devaney permission to share the Patch story, she said. Comments from members repeatedly described the same problems she has encountered during her three decades as an optometrist: eyeglass bridges that are too wide, temple arms that are too long and adult women being directed to children's frames.
Devaney, who is 4 feet, 11 inches tall, previously told Patch that she entered the competition in part to draw attention to the lack of fashionable eyewear made specifically for adult women with smaller faces.
"Women with small faces come in, and nothing fits. The frames slide down, the temples are too long, the bridge is too wide," Devaney told Patch last week. "A lot of them end up in the children's section. The industry just doesn't make enough for that face.
The comments from the Facebook group echoed those concerns, according to Devaney.
Devaney hopes to develop an eyewear line specifically for petite women. If she wins Next Runway Star's $20,000 prize, she said she plans to invest the money in design development, prototypes, fit refinements and a small initial collection. Her competition profile similarly says she would use the prize to develop frames that fit petite faces while offering fashion-forward options.
Supporters can cast one free vote per day after verifying themselves through Facebook. The contest also allows paid "charity votes," with proceeds benefiting Rise, a nonprofit that supports sexual assault survivors.
Devaney's immediate challenge is moving from fourth place to first before voting closes at 10 p.m. Thursday. The winner of her semifinal group will advance to the final round.
The contest winner will receive $20,000 and an opportunity to walk in a show during New York Fashion Week.
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.