GEN ART’S 13TH ANNUAL
“FRESH FACES IN FASHION”
PRESENTED BY BLACKBERRY® AND T-MOBILE
OPENS SPRING 08 FASHION WEEK AND INTRODUCES FASHION’S NEWEST STARS

EVENING WILL FEATURE EXCLUSIVE PERFORMANCE AT AFTER-PARTY BY SLINKY VAGABOND
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th

New York, (August 6, 2007)- Gen Art announced today the highly anticipated designer line-up for the 13th Annual Fresh Faces in Fashion Show, presented by BlackBerry® and T-Mobile USA, Inc. The Fresh Faces in Fashion Show will be held on Wednesday, September 5th at the Grand Ballroom of the Manhattan Center at 311 West 34th Street, beginning with an Accessories pre-reception at 6 PM, followed by the runway presentation at 7 PM. The evening’s after-party, taking place at the newly opened Spotlight Live at 1604 Broadway, will feature new superstar band Slinky Vagabond, whose performance will kick-off their North American tour. Slinky Vagabond features Gen Art Fresh Faces alumni designer Keanan Duffty, who will soon launch a limited-edition collection for Target, along with Bowie guitarist Earl Slick, Blondie’s Clem Burke, and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols.

Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion is the largest national program showcasing emerging designers in the United States and also takes place in three other cities, including: San Francisco (8/22), Chicago (10/9) and Los Angeles (10/12), as part of the respective fashion weeks. Along with Keanan, Fresh Faces in Fashion shows have debuted some of today’s most notable rising fashion stars, including Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Philip Lim (Development), Chaiken, Cloak, Eugenia Kim, Hollywould, Milly, Twinkle, Sari Gueron, Duckie Brown and many more.

Gen Art’s CEO Ian Gerard stated “We are extremely excited to have BlackBerry and T-Mobile as our lead partners, not only for our New York Fresh Faces in Fashion show, but for Chicago and Los Angeles Fresh Faces’ shows. The sophistication and credibility of their brands and products align with Gen Art and the expectations of our consumer audience.”

Fresh Faces in Fashion New York will present collections from four accessories designers, and the runway debut of six womenswear and two menswear designers, who will each show a mini-collection of ten looks from the spring 08 season. Some of the up and coming names that appear on the Fresh Faces runway will become the fashion stars of tomorrow.

“We are thrilled to present the runway debut of such a diverse and talented group of new designers at this year’s Fresh Faces in Fashion show. They all show a great deal of promise and represent the future of fashion, and we are happy to be able to give them more exposure with important members of the industry” said Gen Art Fashion Director Lee Trimble.

Mooka Kinney- New York designers Rachel Antonoff and Alison Lewis met as former roommates in the West Village. Both share a love for haunting local vintage stores and exploring the magical wardrobes of their childhoods. Their colorful and whimsical dresses and jumpers are inspired by secret gardens and fantastical creatures, all reminiscent of treasures one might unearth in their grandmother’s attic. Currently, the line is available at Barneys, Steven Alan, I Heart, Shop, Satine and Jumelle and has gained high-profile clients such as Scarlett Johansson and Zooey Deschanel.

Grace Sun- Korean born Michigan raised, Grace Sun bid goodbye to twelve years of graphic and internet design and strolled confidently into the world of fashion at the age of 33. After studying at Parsons School of Design and interning with established designers, Rachel Roy and Phillip Lim, Sun debuts her first original collection for Spring 2007, brandishing contemporary and timeless pieces that ebody timeless feminine silhouettes in organic and natural fabrics. Grace Sun is currently sold at Barneys, Searle, and Milk in LA.

Bensoni- Benjamin Channing Clyburn and Sonia Yoon met while studying at Parsons School of Design. Their designers collaborated on their Senior Thesis Project which garnered them a nomination for the prestigious ‘Designer of the Year’ award. Their collection includes bubble jackets crafted of merino wool mixed with silk velvet, dresses of floral silk devore and tops with delicate mixes of silk crinkled silk chiffon, embroidered lace, crepe de chine, georgette and organza.

Dagmar- Created by three Swedish sisters Karin Soderlind, Kristina Tjäder and Sofia Malm Dagmar was launched in spring 2005. With a strong emphasis on quality, Dagmar unites knitwear, jersey and woven jumpers, dresses and jackets, and accessories such as hats and scarves. The prints are inspired by the drip paintings of Jackson Pollock and the colors and historical inspiration of the Art Deco era.

Whistle & Flute- Yoon Chang and Je-Won Hwang met while at Cynthia Steffe, where Yoon was Head Designer and Je-Won was Merchandising Director. After moving from New York from her home of Toronto, Yoon attended Parsons in NYC and Paris before being asked by Cynthia Steffe to work in her design department. Balanced by different skill sets, Yoon and Je-Won share the goal of creating a womens’ contemporary line that focuses on a masculine/feminine aesthetic with detailed technology-inspired details. Whistle & Flute was launched in 2007 and is currently sold at Otte in NYC and Hejfina in Chicago.

Delphyne Guiraud- Hailing from France, Delphyne went from directing an embroidery firm that created work for such prestigious fashion labels such as Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Christian Lacroix, Celine, and See by Chloe. During those years she was able to develop her creative talent and has channeled her expertise and knowledge of quality and innovation into her own womenswear line, which embodies a directional, lanky, chic French aesthetic. The line features innovative fabric combinations like Viscose lattice on iridescent silk netting that reflect light, stripes that are alternately transparent and become optical illusions to create a graphic silhouette, and light tissue-like materials that fold and float.

Knox- Designer Jessica Maxcy began her line of handbags in 2006 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, after designing for collective AsFour and Sarah Luna. The line is a collaboration with her father who makes the custom leather and brass hardware for her bags, and Jessica draws creative inspiration for the line from space vehicles and natural galactic shapes and colors.

Yarborough- Former book editor Elizabeth Yarborough began designing jewelry in the Spring of 2006 in an effort to re-engage her hands and creative senses. Approaching the craft as a hybrid of many decorative arts – upholstery, millinery, bespoke tailoring and textiles, among others – she uses an unexpected range of materials, including yarn, tassels, feathers, gemstones, horns, buttons, and other ornaments. With a sense of humor, she subverts traditional wardrobe staples and reintroduces them as witty, wearable accessories. Her one-year-old jewelry line, Yarborough, reflects a design philosophy steeped in curiosity, experimentation, color and originality. She was featured as an Accessories finalist at Gen Art’s STYLES 2007 show, and has since been covered in VOGUE, The New York Times, and Vanity Fair.

Arielle de Pinto- Toronto designer Arielle de Pinto's debut collection of fine hand-crocheted jewelry is raw and voluptuous, transforming elemental nickel, oxidized silver and vermeil into intricate weaves. Her designs interplay pattern and weight in shapes that are elegant and easy to wear. Her line was launched in 2007 can be found at No. 6 In New York and Reborn in Montreal, and has been covered in The New York Times, Nylon, ELLE, and ELLE Accessories

Madison Harding- Hilary Rosenman and Barri Budin met at Skidmore College while studying art, and quickly discovered a shared enthusiasm for vintage fashion, contemporary design, and art. Following college, both moved to the east village of Manhattan and through their experience in the New York City fashion and art scene, they discovered a lack of accessible, retro inspired footwear, which would answer the needs of downtown city girls like themselves, with discerning tastes and a limited budget.

A-Z- Canadian-born designer Dana Lee started her line in 2006. Before coming to New York to focus on outerwear Dana lived and worked in Helsinki and London. She uses performance fabrics like parachute nylons, polyurethane cottons and waterproof technological materials to make a fashionable and savvy men’s line that is both wearer-friendly and weatherproof.

Young Meagher- The Young Meagher project melds the worlds of art and fashion menswear with a subversive historical influence. Creating “Test Garments” as opposed to seasonal collections, that have been featured as fashion galleries at An Earnest Cut and Sew in New York and Naked in Los Angeles. Test Garments Three will be available for Fall / Winter 2007 at Isetan in Tokyo. Young Meagher has created a signature blend of bespoke tailoring, workwear, motorsports and militaristic influences while exploring new fabrications. While remaining true to their influence, the Militant Guild of Rural Tailors Standards & Ethics of 1880, Young Meagher seeks to modernize menswear with the use of English barathea wool, Dutch silk, Italian rubberized natural canvases and poplins, tightly woven cotton gabardines along with waffle-knit thermal underwear qualities. The line is currently based in Amsterdam where designer team Liam and Jennifer Maher work on various projects in art and fashion.

Supporting BlackBerry® and T-Mobile in making Fresh Faces in Fashion New York possible are Acura, Bawls Guaranexx, BOTOX® (Botulinum Toxin Type A), Budweiser Select, Ecru New York (hair styling), Fiji Water, the IN:NYC Card® from American Express, MAC Cosmetics, MuseBox, New York Magazine and P.I.N.K. Vodka.

About Gen Art
Gen Art is the nation’s leading arts and entertainment organization, dedicated to promoting and supporting the best emerging talent in fashion, film, music and the visual arts. Created to propel the careers of up-and-coming fashion and accessories designers, Gen Art’s fashion events have proven to be a successful launch pad for big names, including Rebecca Taylor, Louis Verdad, Hollywould, Chaiken, Twinkle, Michelle Mason, Zac Posen, Rafé, Milly, Cloak, Eugenia Kim and Shoshanna. Gen Art was also tapped to manage the nationwide castings for Bravo TV’s Project Runway, seasons I, III & IV, as well as staged the fashion episode on Donald Trumps NBC hit ‘The Apprentice’.