Project Runway Identity Irony: I'm not Wendy Pepper!!

Looking at the ticket in my hand to the Project Runway finale show this week, all I could think about was the irony of it all. After four years of working hard to establish my own name in the jewelry design field, I'm constantly written up as Wendy Culpepper, the dark and infamous fashion contestant from Project Runway. The woman no one wants to cross...and is probably pretty nice, just a victim of TV editing.

Well, it's time to put that confusion to rest! I'm about as scary as they come - 5'3" with the face of an 18 year old college freshman... Oh, and my name isn't "Wendy Pepper."

Wendy Pepper was the Season 1 contestant who apparently made enemies with many of the project runway viewers out there. Ironically, it was just after I started the company that I saw the show, and all I thought was "wow, our names are so similar." How naive am I? When you're starting out, you can't imagine people will ever even notice you as a speck on the fashion radar so how can you imagine them confusing you with someone they write about as a "fashion villian?" Well, now I can, and they do. I keep finding the more well-known I become, the more the confusion is perpetuated - go figure. And one of the most exciting moments in my career was watching my first jewelry appearance on TV. Tara Connor was a guest on Project Runway, and she was wearing my earrings!! It was so exciting, and the first thing I did was tell everyone I know!! So yes, I made my bed, and now I have to lay it in for being too naive to see the confusion that would come with it.

Well, now I'm going to do my part to continue being the positive person I am and remind people out there we aren't all "Ugly Betty" clones. there are nice, friendly, non-catty women in the fashion field. Some of us just love to draw and give people a good shopping high! Hopefully, I can accomplish this lofty goal little by little, and I'll appreciate any help you guys can give me for how to conquer the name battle... send me your ideas! And if any of you know Wendy Pepper, please let her know I'm sorry if she's getting the other end of the confusion!

Thanks! Wendy CULPEPPER