BY CHELSEA LEIGH
Anyone depressed when all the fashion madness in New York ends in February can turn his or her attention down south to Charleston Fashion Week 2012, home of the biggest emerging design competition in the Southeast.
Charleston Fashion Week, founded in 2007, has become a crucial networking opportunity for models and talented, aspiring fashion designers who want to break into the fashion industry, such as SCAD alumna Emily Pollard (B.F.A., fashion design, 2010), one of the talented few that will be showing this year in Charleston.
The tent show will take place in Marion Square from March 20-24, featuring the reputable East Emerging Designer Competition, other shows, such as the Annual Spring Bridal Show, and Rock the Runway model competition. Named “Top 20 Events for March” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the shows draw a variety of different people from all over the country and the world.
Patrons may not have time to buy a ticket, with the Fashion Week’s record of selling out the 7500 seats available in the tent. About 500,000 who can’t get tickets tune in to the website from all over the world to watch. The numbers don’t lie; Charleston Fashion Week has become a success that attracts big names in the fashion industry to the traditional tourist town. Past appearances include Fern Mallis, Derek Blasburg and Anne Slowey.
However, such success and recognition does not come without hard work and staying on a tight schedule. In an email, Vail Duggan, Loulu Agency’s director of public relations and sponsorship for the third consecutive year at Charleston Fashion Week, said the production crew, makeup artists, designers, models and creative teams are in full execution mode with “all hands on deck to make 2012 even bigger and better.”
Pollard said she could not feel more prepared for the show by the skills she learned from her professors in the fashion department. When asked what skill types in particular she said, “Definitely the understanding of the design process and how to meet tight deadlines while working through it. I really hadn’t sewn much prior to attending SCAD so I definitely owe my pattern making, construction, and tailoring skills to my professors as well.”
Professors also advise students to gain experience and exposure however possible, just as Pollard is doing. Having graduated with a fashion design degree and a graphic design minor, she has interdisciplinary experience. After working in a graphic design firm in Washington, D.C., during the day, Pollard still works on the finishing touches of her garments every chance she gets, hoping to make her “How to Dress for the End of the World” line in which she incorporates some of the resin fabric treatments she developed during her senior collection, a show that will be remembered.
The team behind Charleston Fashion Week encourages students to volunteer to help out for the week to gain experience and add something impressive to their resumes.
Finalists of the Fashion Week don’t just stop there; many past finalists have taken steps to launch their brands into the fashion spotlight. Appearing in WWD, Elle, Vogue and other magazines, the designers have worked hard to build up the reputability of Charleston Fashion Week. As of Monday, NBC released the lineup for their show “Fashion Star,” and Sarah Parrott, an emerging designer in last year’s show and winner for People’s Choice, has been chosen to compete.
“With respect to our accolades, press coverage, attending special guests and judges and the numerous model and designer success stories originating from CFW,” Duggan said, “it only reiterates that we’re doing something right here.”
Doing something right is an understatement — Charleston Fashion Week has now become quite the competition for the attention of other prestigious shows, even Miami Fashion Week, throughout the Southeast region. Charleston Fashion Week is quickly becoming a show to keep an eye on and earning a place in the fashion world, just as SCAD is earning its place at Charleston Fashion Week.
