Fresh Talent at PFW’s Emerging Designer Competition
Phase one of CATAPULT, Portland Fashion Week’s emerging designer competition, took place yesterday, August 22, 2010, in Portland’s Pearl District. Nine designers showed up for the chance to move on and become a finalist and get the opportunity to present their Spring/Summer 2011 Collections on October 7, 2010 at Portland Fashion Week. The winner will receive a prize package that will help “catapult” them on their way, which includes marketing consultation with a PR firm, graphic design and photography for a lookbook, production run to help start producing their brand, and an all inclusive collection show at Portland Fashion Week 2011.
One by one the prospective designers went before a panel of judges bringing with them either samples of their current collections or garments that exhibit their talent. The selection panel was made up of Project Runway Season 7 Winner Seth Aaron; renowned eco-fashion designer Anna Cohen; local boutique owners Anne Bocci of Anne Bocci Boutique, Jo Carter of Physical Element, Jessica Munn of Bubble Boutique; Marie Saturn of Saturn Style Studios; and Marjorie Skinner, managing editor of Portland Mercury. This year the judges placed a major focus on the capability of the designer’s commerciality and marketability, as well as they kept their eyes out for creativity, style, construction, and the ability of the designer to successfully execute their ideas.
The panel acknowledged that this competition, as much as it is about finding a winner right here and now, it is about growth for all the designers trying out. Seth Aaron, who knows what it feels like to be on the other side of the panel being the Project Runway Season 7 winner, offered up valuable advice to the designers. For example, he suggested surrounding a collection around one design in order to create a cohesive look.
One of the highlights of the day was when designer Alicia Wood left the room a couple of items short than she went in, because boutique owner Anne Bocci quite literally bought the clothes off her and her models back. The judge purchased Alicia’s jacket and the model’s belt, which was made out of an old leather jacket.
Portland Fashion Week believes in giving aspiring designers the chance to rise to their full potential. The designers who showed up yesterday came from all walks of life, some who were trained at a design school and some who were self taught. Whether or not they have been designing for years or just started seriously sewing this past year, Portland Fashion Week was more than happy to see all the serious talent that showed up. Thank you to all the designers for participating. Finalists to be announced soon!
A big thanks goes out to Onscreen Imaging for their wonderful photography. Click here to see more pictures from the event.
