Emerging Designer Competition: East Mission Statement

Charleston Fashion Week’s^® Emerging Designer Competition: East (EDC:E) seeks and supports a community of up-and-coming and undiscovered talent in the realm of fashion.  EDC:E believes in the value of spotlighting a new generation of innovative designers in the multiple genres of fashion.  The mission of the EDC:E is to offer a platform for aspiring designers living in the Eastern United States to showcase their talent on the runway at Charleston Fashion Week^® (CFW) and gain the attention of national press and buyers.

Emerging Designer Competition: East Overview

The Top Design 20 semifinalists chosen by the CFW Fashion Panel will show their Fall 2013 collections on the nights of Tuesday, March 19 through Friday, March 22, 2013.  A select number of semifinalists will show each night, where one (1) designer from each evening, plus a special Judge's Choice, will then be selected by the panel of judges as a finalist to advance to Saturday evening and have the chance to be named the Grand Prize Winner.  The final schedule will be announced by Charleston Fashion Week^® at a later date.

Designers must present collections for Fall 2013, Swimwear/Resort 2014, or Bridal and include twelve (12) looks in total.  Semifinalists will be asked to show eight (8) looks the night of their runway presentations (the nights of Tuesday, March 19 – Friday, March 22).  Finalists will be asked to show their entire collections (the original 8 plus an additional 4 looks) on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

People’s Choice Competition

Each evening during Charleston Fashion Week^®, Tuesday, March 19 through Saturday, March 23, 2013, event attendees will have a chance to vote for their favorite Emerging Designer semifinalist shown on the runway.  The People’s Choice winner will be announced at the end of each evening and will receive a $250 cash prize.

Prize Packages

2013 Emerging Designer Competition: East Grand Prize Winner will receive the following prize package*:

• $5,000 cash prize
• $10,000 online marketing and promotional package from F22 Designs
• Mentoring opportunity with fashion industry leaders week of CFW
• Professional hi-quality lookbook images of the Winner's Fall collection photographed by J.Balliet: Photographer
• Free runway show at Charleston Fashion Week^® 2014
• BERNINA Sewing machine compliments of Fashion Fabrics
• Signature jewelry piece

2013 Emerging Designer Competition: East People’s Choice Winners will receive the following:

• $250 cash prize for one Emerging Designer each evening during Charleston Fashion Week^®, Tuesday, March 19 – Saturday, March 23, 2013.

*Charleston Fashion Week^®, its parent company, and all affiliates are not liable for any prizes not delivered as agreed by third party vendors.