Honolulu hasn't had a designer in "Project Runway" yet, but tomorrow it will edge a little closer. That's when Makiki resident Carly Cais jumps into a fierce competition in New York City as one of five finalists chosen from around the nation in the Bacardi Limón Express Your Style competition.

Like "Project Runway," the competition is brutal. Cais will make her first snip at 9 a.m., and the dress must be completed by 4 p.m. The judges will be looking at sewing skills as well as design. She is competing against designers from Nevada, Wisconsin and New York, most of whom have more experience than she does.

Cais has no formal fashion background, but she has created her own clothes for most of her life. The dress she designed for the competition will be a tremendous challenge to produce in a day. The back details require intricate draping on a mannequin she will not "meet" until the cut-and-sew competition begins. She is using Swarovski crystal-beads and must hand-sew each one onto the back straps. The fit is critical, and each delicate strap must lie flat against the back.

DESIGN BEGINNINGS

Seeking inspiration, the young mother bought a bottle of Bacardi Limón, sat on her sofa with toddler Keiden playing at her feet and slowly sipped the liquor.

Surprised by the citrusy notes of lemon, lime and grapefruit, she decided on a layered lemon-yellow dress.

The cross-section view of citrus fruits inspired the back of the dress, while the crystals represent seeds.

How could Bacardi not love the design?

"This competition was created to support emerging talent — those individuals whose design talent might otherwise go unnoticed. We are impressed by the passion and creativity the designs convey," said Rita Campbell, marketing manager for Bacardi Limón, in a statement.

Here's hoping that our Honolulu girl's creativity will make her a winner. Cais is modest, however. When asked how she'll manage if she wins, she replied, "You can always somehow find a way. It's too early to count those chickens."

SEAMSTRESS STATS

Name: Carly Cais (her professional name; she is Carly Hirano to those who know her personally)

Age: 28

Community: Makiki

Profession: Former animator, now a stay-at-home-mom of 18-month-old Keiden Hirano

Her design: "Lemon Jewels Dress," fashioned from lemon-yellow satin and Swarovski crystals

Creative concept: "I wanted to make a dress that was very literal to the taste of Bacardi Limón, with a citrus shape in cutouts at the back. The front of the dress is very classic and straightforward ... but the back is a detailed surprise. This evokes the surprise of lemon in the drink, with rhinestones suspended in the cutouts meant to depict the sparkles of citrus in Bacardi Limón. I felt the lemon flavor had different layers of citrus to it, and so to depict this I added orange-yellow chiffon layers at the hem of the dress."

Contest prizes: $5,000, an internship with Holly Dunlop, creator of the label Hollywould and a meeting with 24/7, an organization that helps fashion design firms find emerging talent for their teams.

Reach Paula Rath at paularath@aol.com.