New T-Shirts From Emerging Designers?

Monday 27th of July 2009 04:21:39 PM

New T-Shirts From Emerging Designers?

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue Magazine have held a fashion designing contest for five years now including this year. The joint venture gives emerging designers a chance to showcase their styles and recently ten finalists were announced. The name of the contest is the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Initiative. Young or emerging designers send in design collections that include everything from dresses to t-shirts to sweaters.

The Fashion Fund is used to provide much needed financial support to young designers while also managing a mentorship program. The Initiative was started in 2003 and has already awarded $1.8 million in grants to a number of fashion design companies. Some of the ones listed include Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Phillip Lim, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, and Vena Cava.

According to FashionUnited.com, the Fashion Fund Initiative is generously underwritten by Gap, underwriters American Express, Appleman Foundation, Barneys New York, Coach, Evgeny Lebedev, Hudson Bay Trading Company, Juicy Couture, Kellwood Company, Liz Claiborne Inc, L’Oréal Paris, Nordstrom, Theory and VOGUE.

The ten finalists will be asked to attend an in-depth interview and then the Council of Fashion Designers sends selected members to visit the various design studios. Winners will be announced in November 2009.

Assisting emerging designers financially and through mentorship is good for both the designers and the industry. There is much more to operating a design business then designing new creations. Design shop owners must learn marketing, public relations and production methods in order to successfully compete. Winners of the CFDA contest are awarded both money and mentorship opportunities. Much of the focus of the program is helping emerging designers manage the business aspects of their companies. Mentors that have participated in the past include Howard Socol, Rose Marie Bravo, Millard “Mickey” Drexler, Mark Lee and Domenico de Sole.

Those tees that appear in online and storefront shops with their new styles just may have been a creation of an up and coming designer. The Fashion Fund has a Business Advisory Committee that reviews the contest applications looking for the next success story. The Committee also works with the 7 designers who do not make it into the top 3 as ultimate contest winners.