Charleston Fashion Week Now Accepting Applications For The 2012 Emerging Designer Competition!

Aug. 9, 2011 - PRLog -- CHARLESTON FASHION WEEK® NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2012 EMERGING DESIGNER COMPETITION

At Charleston Fashion Week 2011, unknown bohemian knitwear designer Charlotte Hess received a standing ovation from the “who’s who” of the fashion industry…Is it your turn?  Charleston Fashion Week® announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2012 Emerging Designer Competition: East.  Taking place March 20-24, 2012, the five-night celebration of the region’s fashion and design communities has opened the competition up to residents of Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Online applications will be accepted through October 13, 2011.

One of Charleston Fashion Week’s onsite affiliated events, the 2012 Emerging Designer Competition; East (EDC:E) will showcase Fall collections from 20 aspiring semifinalists. Fashion experts will select the designers to move on to Saturday’s evening finale and the chance to walk away with a grand prize and the career-changing title. Former judges include Elle magazine’s Anne Slowey and New York Fashion Week creator Fern Mallis, as well as Derek Blasberg, Janie Bryant, Mychael Knight, Alexis Maybank, K. Cooper Ray, Cynthia Rowley, and Carol Hannah Whitfield.

Past CFW Emerging Designer finalists who have gone on to be featured in Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, WWD, and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition include; Marysia Dobrzanska Reeves, Carol Hannah Whitfield, Larika Page, and most recently isobel & cleo designer Charlotte Hess.  Hess, who wooed audiences and judges alike with her undeniable talent, admits the competition was a pivotal shift in her career, “CFW provided me with an incredible platform to showcase my work to a massive audience. It was an extraordinary experience, from the selection process to my final win. I couldn't imagine a more nurturing group of people to guide me into the fashion industry. I know I will continue to collaborate with the extremely talented artists, media, and producers that I met that week. The entire event was a phenomenal adventure unlike anything I've ever participated in.” Aspiring designers interested in competing in the 2012 Charleston Fashion Week® Emerging Designer  Competition: East, should apply online by visiting www.charlestonfashionweek.com.  Deadline for submissions is Thursday, October 13, 2011.

About Charleston Fashion Week®
Showcasing fashion designers, retailers, and models, Charleston Fashion Week® has fast become one of the premier fashion weeks in North America. To Be held March 20-24, 2012 under the tents in Marion Square in Charleston, SC, this five-night celebration will feature more than 45 runway shows, the Spring Bridal Show, Emerging Designer Competition: East, and Rock the Runway Model Competition. Named a Top 20 Event for March by the Southeast Tourism Society, this true multimedia event presents high-end runway shows, interactive entertainment, chic after-parties, and citywide shopping events. For more information, videos, and updates for Charleston Fashion Week 2012, visit www.charlestonfashionweek.com.