Jacqueline Madey dedicated years of her life to competitive dancing, but once she hit college she decided to change paths, not disregarding dance, but instead using it to give her a creative edge and advantage as a fashion designer for her brand, “Jacqueline Nicole.”
The St. Louis-raised 23 year old, just one year out of college,has now transformed into one of Phoenix Fashion Week’s top 13 emerging designers for 2014.
Madey said she couldn’t remember an exact age that she knew she wanted to be a fashion designer but said she “was always a really creative person.”
Madey said her history in dance helped her understand the body’s movement and how clothes needed to be designed to fit the body properly.
In addition to dancing, Madey liked to sketch and began at a very young age. Once she transitioned in to high school, she was ready to bring her sketches to life.
“I decided to give sewing a try. I had sketched (designs), but now I wanted to create them,” she said.
She put her dance pastime and knowledge of body movement together with her talent and passion for sketching to go after fashion design in college.
It was in 2013 when Madey graduated from Stephens College in Missouri with a degree in fashion design and product development.
That same year she met Brian Hill, executive director of Phoenix Fashion Week, through a mutual friend.
She applied to be an emerging designer for 2013 but straight out of college without a finalized business plan, she was rejected.
“I saw (her) potential, but she wasn’t quite ready as a brand,” Hill said.
After taking a year working a part-time job and devoting all other time to developing her business she said, “It worked out because I got to apply this year. My business entity was ready to go, and I got accepted.”
“One of the reasons we knew she was ready was because she came back,” Hill said. “Anybody who wants it bad enough to come back a second year? It resonates with me.”
Hill said Madey grew as a businessperson but also as a designer.
“She matured. It was the same great quality, but just a little more cohesive. She had the quality, mentality, and ability to be flexible.”
Madey’s growth in her Spring and Summer 2015 collections showcased at Phoenix Fashion Week were inspired by Audrey Hepburn in the movie Roman Holiday, she said.
The dancer-transformed-designer described her clothing brand in three words as flirty, tasteful and versatile with a hint of 50’s Hollywood glamour.
“Flirty, because it’s not too sassy,” Madey said.
CydniLeake, a 17-year-old attendee of Fashion Week who like Madey has spent 13 years of her life competitively dancing, said she could see where the line was influenced by dance.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all, with all the sparkle and pink,” Leake said. “She knows just the right amount of sequins to make something like just right, as a dancer should.”
Leake also said she skillfully combined flashy and bright looks with simple and sleek looks.
“She provided outfits you could wear to work but also the perfect outfit for going out,” Leake said.
Madey said that was her ultimate intention. She said she hoped to provide customers with everything they needed.
“I want someone to shop my collection and say, ‘Perfect. This is everything for Summer. I need one of each, and then I’m done for the season.”
The Spring and Summer 2015 collections will be available for purchase on her website, http://www.jacquelinenicole.us, the first week of February.
Madey is also working on getting her collections sold in small boutiques in St. Louis, Chicago, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Her tops will start at a little over $100, while the dresses range from $300 to $550 and gowns from $600 to $1300.
In five to ten years, Madey said she hopes to expand her women’s clothing line into a lifestyle brand, with products ranging from menswear to children’s wear to active wear and even home décor.
Specifically, she said she wanted to an “active wear and lounge wear all in one.”
Madey said she remembers her years as a dancer practically living at the dance studio and never being able to wear cute, fashionable clothes that she could also been seen in public wearing.
Until then though, Madey said the best part of being a designer was giving others the ability to feel confident in their appearance.
“I love the reaction from people when they feel confident in what I put them in,” she said. “That’s the whole purpose. My clothes aren’t going to overpower that person’s beauty; they’re going to complement it.”
Article by Guest Blogger Taylor Seely (ASU Journalism student) for Phoenix Fashion Week
June is another busy month that promises to fill your fashionable event calendar…check out some of our favorites below:
Love, Loss and What I Wore – June 4-16th at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Proving that a great show is always in fashion, Love, Loss, and What I Wore, with its starry rotating cast and compulsively entertaining subject matter, has become an international hit. The all-star cast features Dee Hoty (Mamma Mia!), Sabrina LeBeauf (The Cosby Show), Amanda Setton (The Mindy Project), Zuzanna Szadkowski (Gossip Girl) and Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island). During Social Media Night on Thursday, June 6, audience members may live-tweet and enjoy a one-night-only Q-and-A session with the cast. Special seating will be required to live-tweet during the show. Call 480-499-TKTS (8587) or visit the Patron Services Box Office to secure your “tweet seats” for this fun and entertaining night.
Use promo code PHXFW to receive 20% off tickets. (Valid on purchases May 28 – June 16, 2013. Ticket fees, terms and conditions apply.) More info: http://bit.ly/19o93iQ
‘Get Involved with Phoenix Fashion Week’ – June 5th, 12pm at Gangplank Chandler
Are you a techie interested in the fashion industry? Join PHXFW Executive Director Brian Hill for an enlightening presentation this Wednesday at Gangplank Chandler! Learn how fashion and technology work together and explore the digital, software, photography and video opportunities available at PHXFW 2013!
Planned Giving RoundTable of Arizona’s Summer Forum – June 12th at Phoenix Country Club
We are happy to announce that we have extended our reach and will be partnering with Planned Giving RoundTable of Arizona for their 2013 Annual Summer Forum Wednesday, June 12th to host our signature Log-In Lounge Installation!
If you are a non-profit media professional/blogger with a non-profit focus, email lauren@phoenixfashionweek.com to secure your Media Registration!
Emerging Designer Challenge 2013 – June 14th, 7pm at TONI&GUY Academy in Scottsdale
Phoenix Fashion Week is hosting their 5th annual ‘Emerging Designer Challenge’ on Friday, June 14th, 7pm at the TONI&GUY Academy in Scottsdale, the “Official Hair Salon of PHXFW 2013”! This official announcement highlights the fall 2013 Emerging Designer line-up, along with a trunk sale by this year’s accessory designers presented for the first time to the public.
This year, Phoenix Fashion Week is introducing 12 new Emerging Designers to show at fashion week in the fall. These designers have the opportunity to launch their brand at the ninth annual Phoenix Fashion Week at Talking Stick Resort, October 1-5, 2013. This year’s Emerging Designers were discovered following Phoenix Fashion Week’s successful eight-city tour of the United States, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Chicago and New York. These next “IT” designers will compete for a $10,000(value) prize package consisting of goods and services to help launch their brand. The Emerging Designer Challenge is supported by TONI&GUY Hairdressing, Balluun.com, and Zappos.com. An after party will directly follow the event at 10pm and is open to the public.
PHXFW Model Search – June 22nd, 11am (Location TBA)
Are you or someone you know an aspiring model looking to make it in the fashion industry? PHXFW is seeking 30 Women and 10 Men to compete for the title of ‘Model of the Year 2013’ -Phoenix Fashion Week is on the lookout for the next “Top Models” in Arizona, to be featured in PHXFW this fall! The winner will receive a modeling contact from The Agency Arizona! Join us June 22nd for our official Model Search, location TBA.
In support of the next “IT” designers, Phoenix Fashion Week has launched the brand new People’s Choice in Social Media Contest as a part of the Emerging Designer Contest. Presented by The Art Institute of Phoenix and launched at the ‘Shop Garment District Show & Trunk Sale Aug 11, 2012, guests were encouraged to preview the (12) talented emerging designers and select their favorite runway show, and trunk sale, while getting a chance to meet and greet each designer in person. The Art Institute of Phoenix has always been a big support system to local students hoping to make it in the fashion industry. Recently, it was announced that AIPX will now be offering a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design, for the first time ever! What’s more, the college is offering new students who start classes on or before Oct. 1, 2012, an opportunity to earn one of two $5,000 scholarships. For more information about this exciting opportunity, read the official press release.
The People’s Choice in Social Media Contest evolved from the necessity to support emerging designers during their launch at Phoenix Fashion Week, and it will be up to THE PUBLIC and our readers to vote for their favorite designer leading up to fashion week in October! The winner will be announced at Phoenix Fashion Week, Friday Oct. 5th at 7:00pm at The Art Institute of Phoenix booth, inside the Style Villa Marketplace.
To get to know our Emerging Designers by visiting The Art Institute of Phoenix booth every night during fashion week!
To purchase tickets to Phoenix Fashion Week and watch these designers’ lines live on the runway, click HERE.
How can you vote? Vote for your favorite emerging designer below!
Presented by:
Get to know these talented designers better and let us know which one you think should win Designer of the Year 2012 by voting above!
Bri Seeley is uniquely feminine fashion for the inspired woman. Established in 2006, this brand based out of Lacey, Washington was created to enhance the female figure and allow the wearers inner beauty to shine. The styles are contemporary, simple, and classic with intriguing details and high quality fabric. Guests should expect to see designs embodying the designer, Bri Seeley’s contemporary vintage aesthetic. “I typically draw upon nature and history for my design inspiration.The Escape collection showing at PHXFW was specifically designed with a playful spirit and a touch of impulsivity,” Seeley said.
On trend for the season, Envy by Khanh features bold lines, colors and geometric shapes that make the line immediately recognizable. The line is all about simplicity and elegance, and designer Khanh Nguyen’s goal is to design dresses that make women feel confident, attractive, and sexy. This vision will take effect at PHXFW in October, where Khanh’s 12 piece 2013 collection will walk the runway. “My irresistible pieces for women create lust in the opposite sex and envy in the same sex. ‘Make them feel it’ is the tagline for ENVY by Khanh, since the goal is to make other women feel envious of you when you’re wearing one of my dresses.”
Based out of Los Angeles, California, EYE Thread is a luxury designer brand on a mission to give back. Their hopes are to inspire the consumer to think about buying a quality product with a genuine foundation in giving back. “By focusing on the highest quality product possible we thought it only made sense to go by an equally high standard for our practices. We believe that if we can make a positive impact, no matter how small, then weʼve accomplished our goal as a brand. Titled Keepsakes & Heirlooms, we provide products made with handselected materials, and assure each piece is made with integrity, craftsmanship and most importantly, heart.” – Designer Ashleigh Kaspszak
Local designer Natalia Acosta of Phoenix is originally from Mexico and after earning two Fashion Design degrees from Phoenix College, has focused her designing vision on creating unique, one-of-a-kind evening gowns that are all individually designed and hand-sewn. With avant-garde, dramatic runway pieces showing at Phoenix Fashion Week, guests should except to take in red carpet gowns meant to see and be seen in. “The the biggest stage for fashion is in the state of Arizona. The Italia Rocks Couture customer is a very confident, elegant and sexy woman. My inspiration when designing this collection is the female figure, and vibrant colors that complement this.”
Los Angeles, California based JHaus is an American made premium denim line inspired by designer Jlynn Hausman’s American-Midwest roots. Being a farmer’s daughter and a small town girl, Jlynn wanted to bring a piece of the country into the city. Creating a high quality product that incorporates her strong roots into the aesthetic was her goal. Great denim should be a staple in any fashionista’s wardrobe, but it can be difficult to find the perfect fit. That is, until JHaus. “Denim is difficult and a very tough business. We have a less is more concept so there is not a lot of embellishment on our jeans. We spent a year perfecting the fits and washes to ensure a premium product. JHaus is the only emerging designer that will be showcasing denim.”
Living Dreams is a lifestyle streetwear clothing brand “inspired by those who follow and live out their dreams”. They offer bold colors on relaxing designs to t-shirts, tank tops, and other fine products for both men and women. Living Dreams believes we all have a dream inside ourselves and when that dream becomes a reality through passion, hard work, and belief in ourselves, that dream turns into a reality, hence the name Living Dreams! The mission of Living Dreams is to spread this message of encouraging others to be “living dreams” through clothing as the canvas to tell the story. “I wanted to ultimately try to create a brand that lets people “escape” and let themselves dream again about what moves them. I am not just trying to create a trendy brand, but one that last decades,” said designer Michael Poulos.
Ofra traveled throughout Europe and Latin America and her broad experiences are the culmination of what we see in her collections. OfraStyle’s latest collection is convertible clothing for women, casual by day, contemporary by night. The collection includes pieces that can be worn 2-3 different ways. They are very versatile and with a few adjustments can be worn as poolside wear, comfortable casual wear, yoga pants, or elegant evening wear. These versatile garments are extremely soft, complimentary to the body and made from beautiful custom made fabrics with a contemporary style.
This St. Louis designer was born with a creative vision and has been designing for nearly all his life. This menswear designer is unique in that he views menswear in a completely new way. He loves mixing colors and prints that are unconventional, but believes that at the end of the day its all about individualism – so the customer can separate the prints and wear them as conservatively as they would like. “Paulie Gibson is inspired by the juxtaposition between masculine and feminine. I’m really inspired by womens fashion. I’m also inspired by people. I’m a very social person and as I meet new people something clicks and I start to create clothing for them in my head – what I’d like to see them in.”
Samantha Patterson creates fashionable modestwear for women, appropriate for any professional, religious, or everyday setting, and no one should have to forgo style to dress this way. Despite the assumptions that some may make about modestwear, Flagstaff-based Patterson has proven that with extra design elements, these subtle statement pieces are taken to the next level. “I love putting creativity in a box. I believe that when an artist applies parameters to his/her work–modest guidelines in my case–it yields even more innovative ideas. I use construction techniques, fabric embellishments, and other accents to compose truly original designs with classic silhouettes.”
As another local designer based out of Tucson, Brooke Reyes is a self-taught designer, who has created a standout line for “women with remarkable taste.” With the drama of many of her runway garments, it’s no surprise that Reyes’ inspiration is the theater and everything that entails. “The woman who wears my clothes desires notoriety. Like in theater, costumes have a way of evoking an era and feeling into the actor. I want my clothes to inject a feeling of confidence, strength, and sex appeal, into my ideal client. My inspiration derives from my days as a thespian. I often take inspiration from theatric, historic and literary characters and bring them into the modern world with my design.”
Co-founders and designers Julie Cruz and Roshena Chadha have created a unique line of versatile shawls and cover-ups meant for the everyday woman, with a convertible shawl that can be worn 15+ ways. They offer practical fashion without compromising on style, with fashionable formulas for multiple looks that can transform an outfit from casual to dressy, from day to night. “We are largely inspired by the fabrics that we find and by elements of other styles and trends that we see. Our inspiration also comes from our fans, who love to get creative with their Shawls and come up with amazing new ways to style them! The possibilities are endless!”
Every since this St. Louis-based designer debuted her first line in the spring of 2009, the brand has been consistently growing since. Her design aesthetic is clear as soon as you see one of her garments, with a bold, strong look that is still sophisticated and chic. It really is about creating a lifestyle. “My number one inspiration is music, which was my first love. From there, it’s about location and building our visual of who our woman is each season. Location plays a big part as well, traveling and adventure. Where would she go?, what would she do?, what would she take with her?…these are all questions we ask ourselves each season to create our story,” said designer Suzanne Lay.
Article by Lauren Pfingstag for Phoenix Fashion Week
After a seven-city tour, Phoenix Fashion Week has selected the 12 emerging designers from not only Arizona, but all over the United States, that will be debuting their lines at fashion week in October. These twelve emerging designers had an incredibly beneficial opportunity to not only strengthen their business skills, but grow their brand and fashion line through competing in various challenges presented to them in the months leading up to fashion week in a “bootcamp” setting. From writing a press release and learning how to market themselves, to creating a business plan, these designers have truly transformed their brands from the ground up, leading to a lasting impression on the runway. The winner of the Emerging Designer Contest will be officially announced on Saturday, October 6th at fashion week and will receive a prize package of goods and services valued at over $10,000 to assist them in successfully launching their brand post-fashion week.
Get to know these talented designers better and let us know which one you think should win Designer of the Year 2012!
Bri Seeley is uniquely feminine fashion for the inspired woman. Established in 2006, this brand based out of Lacey, Washington was created to enhance the female figure and allow the wearers inner beauty to shine. The styles are contemporary, simple, and classic with intriguing details and high quality fabric. Guests should expect to see designs embodying the designer, Bri Seeley’s contemporary vintage aesthetic. “I typically draw upon nature and history for my design inspiration.The Escape collection showing at PHXFW was specifically designed with a playful spirit and a touch of impulsivity,” Seeley said.
On trend for the season, Envy by Khanh features bold lines, colors and geometric shapes that make the line immediately recognizable. The line is all about simplicity and elegance, and designer Khanh Nguyen’s goal is to design dresses that make women feel confident, attractive, and sexy. This vision will take effect at PHXFW in October, where Khanh’s 12 piece 2013 collection will walk the runway. “My irresistible pieces for women create lust in the opposite sex and envy in the same sex. ‘Make them feel it’ is the tagline for ENVY by Khanh, since the goal is to make other women feel envious of you when you’re wearing one of my dresses.”
Based out of Los Angeles, California, EYE Thread is a luxury designer brand on a mission to give back. Their hopes are to inspire the consumer to think about buying a quality product with a genuine foundation in giving back. “By focusing on the highest quality product possible we thought it only made sense to go by an equally high standard for our practices. We believe that if we can make a positive impact, no matter how small, then weʼve accomplished our goal as a brand. Titled Keepsakes & Heirlooms, we provide products made with handselected materials, and assure each piece is made with integrity, craftsmanship and most importantly, heart.” – Designer Ashleigh Kaspszak
Local designer Natalia Acosta of Phoenix is originally from Mexico and after earning two Fashion Design degrees from Phoenix College, has focused her designing vision on creating unique, one-of-a-kind evening gowns that are all individually designed and hand-sewn. With avant-garde, dramatic runway pieces showing at Phoenix Fashion Week, guests should except to take in red carpet gowns meant to see and be seen in. “The the biggest stage for fashion is in the state of Arizona. The Italia Rocks Couture customer is a very confident, elegant and sexy woman. My inspiration when designing this collection is the female figure, and vibrant colors that complement this.”
Los Angeles, California based JHaus is an American made premium denim line inspired by designer Jlynn Hausman’s American-Midwest roots. Being a farmer’s daughter and a small town girl, Jlynn wanted to bring a piece of the country into the city. Creating a high quality product that incorporates her strong roots into the aesthetic was her goal. Great denim should be a staple in any fashionista’s wardrobe, but it can be difficult to find the perfect fit. That is, until JHaus. “Denim is difficult and a very tough business. We have a less is more concept so there is not a lot of embellishment on our jeans. We spent a year perfecting the fits and washes to ensure a premium product. JHaus is the only emerging designer that will be showcasing denim.”
Living Dreams is a lifestyle streetwear clothing brand “inspired by those who follow and live out their dreams”. They offer bold colors on relaxing designs to t-shirts, tank tops, and other fine products for both men and women. Living Dreams believes we all have a dream inside ourselves and when that dream becomes a reality through passion, hard work, and belief in ourselves, that dream turns into a reality, hence the name Living Dreams! The mission of Living Dreams is to spread this message of encouraging others to be “living dreams” through clothing as the canvas to tell the story. “I wanted to ultimately try to create a brand that lets people “escape” and let themselves dream again about what moves them. I am not just trying to create a trendy brand, but one that last decades,” said designer Michael Poulos.
Ofra traveled throughout Europe and Latin America and her broad experiences are the culmination of what we see in her collections. OfraStyle’s latest collection is convertible clothing for women, casual by day, contemporary by night. The collection includes pieces that can be worn 2-3 different ways. They are very versatile and with a few adjustments can be worn as poolside wear, comfortable casual wear, yoga pants, or elegant evening wear. These versatile garments are extremely soft, complimentary to the body and made from beautiful custom made fabrics with a contemporary style.
This St. Louis designer was born with a creative vision and has been designing for nearly all his life. This menswear designer is unique in that he views menswear in a completely new way. He loves mixing colors and prints that are unconventional, but believes that at the end of the day its all about individualism – so the customer can separate the prints and wear them as conservatively as they would like. “Paulie Gibson is inspired by the juxtaposition between masculine and feminine. I’m really inspired by womens fashion. I’m also inspired by people. I’m a very social person and as I meet new people something clicks and I start to create clothing for them in my head – what I’d like to see them in.”
Samantha Patterson creates fashionable modestwear for women, appropriate for any professional, religious, or everyday setting, and no one should have to forgo style to dress this way. Despite the assumptions that some may make about modestwear, Flagstaff-based Patterson has proven that with extra design elements, these subtle statement pieces are taken to the next level. “I love putting creativity in a box. I believe that when an artist applies parameters to his/her work–modest guidelines in my case–it yields even more innovative ideas. I use construction techniques, fabric embellishments, and other accents to compose truly original designs with classic silhouettes.”
As another local designer based out of Tucson, Brooke Reyes is a self-taught designer, who has created a standout line for “women with remarkable taste.” With the drama of many of her runway garments, it’s no surprise that Reyes’ inspiration is the theater and everything that entails. “The woman who wears my clothes desires notoriety. Like in theater, costumes have a way of evoking an era and feeling into the actor. I want my clothes to inject a feeling of confidence, strength, and sex appeal, into my ideal client. My inspiration derives from my days as a thespian. I often take inspiration from theatric, historic and literary characters and bring them into the modern world with my design.”
Co-founders and designers Julie Cruz and Roshena Chadha have created a unique line of versatile shawls and cover-ups meant for the everyday woman, with a convertible shawl that can be worn 15+ ways. They offer practical fashion without compromising on style, with fashionable formulas for multiple looks that can transform an outfit from casual to dressy, from day to night. “We are largely inspired by the fabrics that we find and by elements of other styles and trends that we see. Our inspiration also comes from our fans, who love to get creative with their Shawls and come up with amazing new ways to style them! The possibilities are endless!”
Every since this St. Louis-based designer debuted her first line in the spring of 2009, the brand has been consistently growing since. Her design aesthetic is clear as soon as you see one of her garments, with a bold, strong look that is still sophisticated and chic. It really is about creating a lifestyle. “My number one inspiration is music, which was my first love. From there, it’s about location and building our visual of who our woman is each season. Location plays a big part as well, traveling and adventure. Where would she go?, what would she do?, what would she take with her?…these are all questions we ask ourselves each season to create our story,” said designer Suzanne Lay.
The Art Institute of Phoenix’ People’s Choice in Social Media Contest evolved from the necessity to support emerging designers during their launch at Phoenix Fashion Week, and it will be up to THE PUBLIC and our readers to vote for their favorite designer leading up to fashion week in October! The winner will be announced at Phoenix Fashion Week, Friday Oct. 5th at 7:00pm at The Art Institute of Phoenix booth, inside the Style Villa Marketplace.
To get to know our Emerging Designers by visiting The Art Institute of Phoenix booth every night during fashion week!
How can you vote? Vote for your favorite emerging designer below!
Presented By:
For more information, an event schedule or to purchase tickets to Phoenix Fashion Week before they sell out, visit our website!
Article by Lauren Pfingstag for Phoenix Fashion Week
Every fashionista has an item in their wardrobe that is a go-to garment for any place, any occasion. And for most, this is the little black dress. Originally iconicized by Coco Chanel in 1926 with her modest “Ford” dress and followed with such memorable LBD moments as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the LBD is perhaps one of the chicest and most wearable garments a woman can own. With that being said, Phoenix Fashion Week is thrilled to announce a collaboration with Little Black Dress Wines for our new (you guessed it!) Little Black Dress Challenge!
In this challenge, Phoenix Fashion Week has invited past emerging designers to submit their best original LBD sketches that speaks to them as a designer, as well as features a truly unique style. In the mean time, these emerging designers’ challenge journey begins September 6th at Fashion’s Night Out with Neiman Marcus, where Phoenix Fashion Week will officially be debuting the Little Black Dress Challenge to the public, with the help of Little Black Dress Wines. Attendees can visit the LBD Challenge booth, where they can view the top three sketches on iPads and vote on their favorite! The winning sketch will be produced and placed on-display in the Style Villa shopping area during fashion week in October!
I had the opportunity to catch up with Little Black Dress Wines’ VP of Marketing, Kari Sumney, and find out more about their fashionable brand and it’s partnership with Phoenix Fashion Week this year!
Tell me more about your fashionably named brand!
“Little Black Dress Wines are the Perfect Fit for Every Palate. Like their namesake, the iconic little black dress, Little Black Dress Wines are versatile, trustworthy, reliable and perfect for any occasion. Classic and timeless, these wines are designed in a fruit-forward style with the female palate in mind.”
How would you describe the fashionable customer of Little Black Dress Wines?
“Classic. Fashion trends come and go, but one item in women’s closets undeniably never goes out of style: the classic little black dress. Little black dresses can transcend day to evening with just the addition of simple accessories or bold accents. As the “Official Wine of Awards Season,” Little Black Dress Wines fit everyone’s style and are the perfect “accessory” for any occasion.”
Describe your involvement in our Little Black Dress Challenge and why Little Black Dress Wines wanted to support emerging designers.
“We created the Little Black Dress Challenge as a way to for Little Black Dress Wines to support local “emerging designers” in Phoenix and during Fashion Week. Emerging designers will apply to enter the LBD Challenge by submitting a sketch of their version of a Little Black Dress. Three sketches will be selected and those designers will compete for the title of “Little Black Dress Design Winner”. The three designs will be featured in Phoenix Fashion Week’s social media and they will also be on display at the event. Consumers will be able to vote for their favorite dress online as well as at the event at the LBD contest booth, which will be located in the Style Villa. The winner will be selected by both a panel of industry professionals and social media votes and awarded the title at the event on Saturday evening.”
Like Phoenix Fashion Week, your brand has also aligned yourself with charitable organizations, including Dress for Success and Clothes Off Our Back. Why do you feel this charitable aspect is so crucial to your brand?
“Little Black Dress Wines bring women together to celebrate occasions, events, friendships, fashion and what we have discovered is bringing women together to “give back”. The number of charitable organizations that Little Black Dress Wine has aligned with is growing rapidly every day. In October, for Breast Cancer awareness Month, the Little Black Dress Wines are a proud sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation among numerous other charitable organizations.”
Tell us more about how you have partnered with a celebrity stylist and color specialists to feature style tips on your website.
“Joey Tierney is a great fit with Little Black Dress wines as she is known for bringing “Rocker chic- to the dinner party”. Like Little Black Dress Wines she is also American born. She launched her ready-to-wear collection in 2007 and also has dressed A-List Celebrities.
As Little Black Dress has a perfect wine varietal for every female personality, Three Custom Color Specialists create cosmetic shades that fit every woman’s type. Training Director, Co-Founder of Three Custom Color Specialists, Chad Hayduk has almost 20 years of retail experience in the cosmetics industry.”
What do you have coming up?
“Little Black Dress will soon be refreshing our packaging with a fresh take a timeless style. Additionally, we have two new supercilious wines coming to market by the end of this year.”
Thanks so much Kari! We can’t wait to see Little Black Dress Wines debut at Fashion’s Night Out and during fashion week in October!
Article by Lauren Pfingstag for Phoenix Fashion Week
Phoenix Fashion Week’s 12 Emerging Designers and Top 40 Models were announced mere weeks ago and this Friday, they will take the next step in their journey to fashion week with the annual Shop Garment District event at Degree 270 Friday, August 10th!
Not only will this event allow our talented emerging designers to sell their designs in a trunk show format to a packed house of local tastemakers and fashionistas alike, it will feature a sneak preview of their looks on the runway before anyone sees them at fashion week in October! In fact, many of our emerging designers caught up with us to voice their excitement for this event. Flagstaff Designer Samantha Patterson is looking forward to debuting her spring collection and getting feedback from media and industry professionals about her niche brand. “Modestwear is something that most people are not familiar with, but once they learn about it, they totally recognize the market and need for someone to design fashionable apparel with modesty in mind,” Patterson said. Living Dreams designer Michael Poulos also agrees that interacting with the guests will be an incredibly valuable takeaway. “It definitely builds a personal touch with your customers directly as they get to see and meet the person behind the brand,” Poulos said.
What’s more, many of the designers are looking forward to showing off their recent labors of love, their collections. “My line is all about simplicity and elegance; asymmetry and bold colors. I hope that the guests will want to see more of my collection after seeing the four preview dresses, as well as my trunk show,” said ENVY by Khanh designer Khanh Nguyen. Designer Jlynn Hausmann of JHaus is looking forward to being back in Arizona and showing guests how versatile denim truly is. “The public will be able to see the inspiration behind JHaus, which is American made products with genuine appeal. With the collection, we focus on strength and durability. We don’t have a lot of bells and whistles and use a less-is-more approach,” Hausmann said. Finally, local designer Italia Loves Couture designer Natalia Acosta is looking forward to not only networking, but showing off her incredible collection of dresses. “I can’t wait to meet new people interested in my brand, as well as show my handmade, one-of-a-kind couture evening gowns,” Acosta said.
Along with the emerging designers, this event will also feature our Top 40 models, who will be competing in their next challenge: Runway, where they will walk for the first time in the emerging designer garments. Our models have been working extremely hard to put their best heeled foot forward in the competition. Watch the video below to grab a live sneak peek into their first model practice of the year with PHXFW TV Fashion Host Brittany Brannon!
Article by Lauren Pfingstag for Phoenix Fashion Week
With the success of the Emerging Designer Contest last year, Phoenix Fashion Week brought it back again this year to showcase amazing talent from all over the country. From Silvia Bours of Mexico to Diana Lopez of Tucson, Arizona, the competition was fierce. After numerous challenges, Anna Friss of Blue Bird Denim was ultimately awarded the highly coveted prize package as the Emerging Designer winner, which included placement in a boutique, spread in a magazine and much more! Friss, based in St. Louis, Missouri, began her fashion career at the young age of 15, when she made custom pants in high school. This came as no surprise, as fashion runs in her family, literally. Not only did her grandmother own a dress shop, but her mother was a fashion designer herself. She claims this, as well as her international upbringing, as having crucial influences on her life and designs. She worked her way up in the industry after graduation and currently runs Blue Bird Denim with her family and employees.
I had a chance to talk with Friss via email about her upcoming visit to Phoenix, as well as what the future looks like for her line.
Q: How did you hear about PHXFW?
A: “I met Brian at a fashion event in St. Louis, and he invited BlueBird to try out.”
Q: What was your experience like leading up to fashion week?
A: “There were a whole lot of conference calls…all the emerging designers had conference calls going over different business, social media and sales topics every other week, including our challenges.”
Q: You went through many challenges to end up winning the title of Emerging Designer of the Year…what did you go through for each one and which one was most beneficial for you?
A: “Since I have been in this business for awhile, the challenges weren’t all that bad. The most beneficial one for me though, was the press release portion. I had been procrastinating about sending out press releases for a very long time, and the challenge forced me to send some out. I received wonderful feedback and got some press!”
Q: What is something surprising that most people don’t know about you?
A: “Since my American accent is so perfect, most people don’t know I was actually born in Israel.”
Q: What have you been up to since fashion week?
A: “All sorts of things but mainly sell, sell, sell. We went to Chicago for StyleMax immediately after Fashion Week and since then I have two fantastic new sales reps as well.”
Q: I heard you will be back in Phoenix next weekend for a trunk sale…tell me more about that.
A: “Yes, I will be back Nov. 17-19 with some fantastic fall/winter merchandise, as well as some beautiful metallic coated leather cuffs/bracelets. So far, there are two trunk sales set up, one at Savvy Boutique and one at Velvet Boutique. I am really looking forward to that as I adore the owners!”
Q: What are your ultimate goals as a designer?
A: “My ultimate goal as a designer is to build a successful business and produce collections my customers covet.”
Q: Do you have any advice to offer emerging designers hoping to make it big in the industry?
A: “Keep learning, and I mean everything, not just fashion but all the other facets of business, promotion, web development and marketing. The more you know, the better off you’ll be. Oh, and don’t give up, no one makes it overnight.”
Q: Any additional comments you would like to include?
A: “ Don’t forget to ‘Like’ us on Facebook: facebook.com/foxythang and Follow us on Twitter @bluebirddenim. There’s some amazing promotions and giveaways coming up for the holiday season!”
Thanks Anna!
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Article by Lauren Pfingstag for Phoenix Fashion Week
Phoenix Fashion Week was established in 2005 by a team of Arizona based industry professionals.
We are based in the fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States, Phoenix.
Our mission is simple but powerful: To market established and emerging fashion designers from around the globe to top retailers, buyers, media and fashionistas.
Jacqueline Madey dedicated years of her life to competitive dancing, but once she hit college she decided to change paths, not disregarding dance, but instead using it to give her a creative edge and advantage as a fashion designer for her brand, “Jacqueline Nicole.”
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