Birmingham Fashion Week

NEW YORK FASHION; SWEET HOME STYLE FEB. 8-12 PEPPER PLACE

2nd Annual

BIRMINGHAM Photo Credits: Chuck St. John, Gus Mayer, MAC, AIA

FASHION WEEK

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BFW was founded on the ideals of bringing unity to our community through fashion. Local and national designers, along side local and national boutiques, will gather together to promote and inspire our rising stars. Models, make-up and hair stylists will showcase their talents on the runway, while encouraging locals and visitors to explore the creative talents of Birmingham.

2011 WinnerS

Nicole Thomason, Andrew Thorp, Jeana Lee Fleming, Heidi Elnora, Britni McMillan, Jeremy Stephens, Andrew Ingram. Photo by Angela Karen

Fresh FACE OF FASHION

Leah Furman is a 19 yr old native of Birmingham, and an aspiring model.

She loves the creative process of modeling and thrives on fulfilling the vision of a designer or photographer. In addition to fashion, she loves Biblical Archaeology and hopes to make that her life’s work and live in the Middle East one day.

EMERGING DESIGNER

William Bradley stands for creating timeless designs through innovation, quality, and juxtaposition. After growing up in the small town of Chatom, Alabama, William attended The University of Alabama and held an internship with Karen Kane, Inc in Los Angeles. After graduation in December 2011, he has plans of moving to New York to pursue a career in fashion design.

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Birmingham Fashion Week Benefits

AlabamA Forever Alabama Forever was founded in response to the April 27th, 2011 tornadoes that ravaged our state. Co-Founders Alex Sokol, Chris Nix and Ed Welden are lifelong friends and Alabama residents that saw a need for helping the state that they loved so much. The mission of Alabama Forever is simple-to help our communities in need. Alabama Forever was founded by tragedy, developed by necessity, and inspired by the beauty and strength of what makes Alabama special, its people. Our efforts will all be community based with the sum of the whole being far greater than it’s parts.

CAMP SMILE-A-MILE Camp Smile-A-Mile was founded in 1985. Our mission today is to provide year round challenging, unforgettable recreational and educational experiences for young cancer patients, their families as well as young adult survivors from Alabama at no cost. Our purpose is to provide these patients, families and survivors with avenues for fellowship, to help them cope with their disease, and to prepare them for life after cancer. campsam.org

Tickets Weekend Pass A-List All Access Price: $180.00 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Complimentary libations, runway seating, and access to exclusive after parties.

Trend Setter Pass Price: $90.00 General Admission: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Night.

Thursday VIP Price: $55.00 Thursday Night Only. Complimentary libations, runway seating, and access to exclusive after parties General Admission Price: $35.00

schedule

Thursday NightOnly.

Friday VIP Price: $65.00 Friday Night Only.

Complimentary libations, runway seating, and access to exclusive after parties General Admission Price: $35.00 Friday Night Only.

Saturday Bridal Day Doors open at 10:30 a.m. First 100 brides through the door will receive a couture swag bag.

Seats are limited.

General Admission Price: $15.00 Saturday Morning Only.

Saturday Night VIP Price: $75.00 Saturday Night Only.

Complimentary libations, runway seating, and access to exclusive after parties General Admission Price: $35.00 Saturday Night Only.

Sunday Mercedes Marathon Come out and cheer on the runners as BFW is the official sponsor for mile 11 of the Mercedes Marathon. Free to the public.

After Parties Official after parties will be held following each evening of Fashion Week. Special $5 cover charge.

Come party with our models and Fashion Week folks.

Thursday: Ona’s Music Room Friday: Avondale Brewery Saturday: Cantina

TARA GRAY

Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Kick-Off Party sponsored by Gus Mayer Thursday, February 9, 2012 Thursday Night, 7 p.m.

•11 Emerging Designers 5 finalists selected •18 Rising Design Stars 9 finalists selected Boutique A: Soca Boutique B: Laura Kathryn Up & Coming Designer: William Bradley Fetaured Designer: Southern Proper Headlining Designer: Annie Griffin, sponsored by Manhattan South Model Competition After Party sponsored by Ona’s Friday, February 10, 2012 Friday Night, 7 p.m.

•11 Emerging Designers 5 finalists selected •18 Rising Designers Stars 9 finalists selected Boutique A: Theodora Boutique B: Stella Blu Featured Designer: Iota Featured Designer: TBA Headlining Designer: Prophetik Model Competition After Party sponsored by Avondale Brewery

Bella Bridesmaid Bella Couture The Clothes Tree Mr. Burch Ivory and White Headlining Designer: Heidi Elnora Saturday Night •10 Emerging Designers Emerging Designer Winner Announced •18 Finalist Rising Stars Rising Design Star Winner Announced •Model Competition Face of BFW 2012 Winner Announced Boutique A – Shaia’s Boutique B- Gus Mayer Featured Designer: Leona Collection Featured Designer: Chris Collins sponsored by The Clothes Tree Headlining Designer: What Goes Around Comes Around After Party sponsored by Cantina Sunday, February 12, 2012 Sunday Morning Come out and cheer on the runners as BFW is the official sponsor for mile 11 of the Mercedes Marathon

Saturday, February 11, 2012 Bridal Day, 10:30 a.m.

6 Runway Shows:

Tara Gray is a TV and radio host based out of Los Angeles, California, but is no stranger to Alabama. Born and raised right here in Birmingham, Tara is a graduate of Auburn University and represented our great state nationally as Miss Alabama USA and Miss Alabama Teen USA. Tara currently hosts five nights of LIVE national primetime television each week for Direct Shopping Network in Los Angeles. She also hosts and produces the weekly radio program, No Limitz, for LA Talk Radio and is currently co-producing and starring in her first network TV show.

Malena Cunningham

Malena Cunningham is President and CEO of Strategic Media Relations, Inc. a media consulting business she founded in 2005. In 2011, Malena added the title of author, after she coauthored the book Savvy Leadership Strategies for Women (Thrive Publishing). During a dozen years at NBC13, Malena won two Emmy awards (1995, 1996) for Special Reporting. In 2004, Malena won the prestigious regional Edward R. Murrow award for anchoring the half hour documentary Beneath The Rubble, the 40th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church.

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Thursday Headlining Designer ANNIE GRIFFIN: Sponsored By Manhattan South

Sisters and Memphis, Tennesseans, Annie Griffin and Robin Gerber never dreamed at ages 27 and 23 they would be running their own business. Annie, a life long artist with an eye for design, and Robin, an outgoing and gregarious sort, saw an opportunity to combine their talents and forge into the world of fashion. They are Southern girls first and hope to invoke that Delta spirit into their designs.

Annie Griffin Collection was founded in August of 2009, and the line is being sold in nearly one hundred and fifty boutiques nationwide. The collection provides a feminine, classic alternative to women who love to look their best.

Annie’s designs are inspired by her artistic background, love of color, and personal desire for comfortable, yet flattering clothes. The Annie Griffin Collection is distinguished by a retro flair, channeling soft and feminine silhouettes from an earlier era. www.anniegriffincollection.com

Featured Designer

SOUTHERN PROPER: Emmie Henderson Howard Style, Tradition and Authenticity are the Southern pillars that inspired the creation of Southern Proper, Haberdashery for the Southern Gentleman.

Emilie Claire Howard (fondly known as Emmie) and Reagan Hardy Howell co-founded the company in late 2005 and planted their roots in Atlanta. By combining their appreciation for heritage and fashion, they infused that passion into a men’s accessory line that is much deeper than their southern accents. Reagan was born and raised on the porches of the Carolina coast, while Emmie grew up on a cotton farm in the Tennessee Delta.

By launching their brand based on men’s décor and dress, each bowtie (Beaus™) and necktie (Gents™) is adorned with hand-drawn designs, made of superior king twill silk, and the neckties are even hand crafted in the South. And although neckwear is the best way for a man to add a splash of color to his suiting’s, the Southern Proper line has expanded to include boxers shorts, belts, hats, oxfords and pocket squares. You can find these fancies in over 250 specialty men’s retail shops around the Southeast and online at www.southernproper.com.

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Friday Headlining Designer PROPHETIK: Designer Jeff Garner

Launched in 2002, Prophetik is an all-sustainable fashion lifestyle brand designed by, Jeff Garner from Franklin, Tennessee. Jeff’s mission is to bring awareness to the principles of how clothing is produced, dyed, and distributed and the effect these processes have on the planet, and to challenge the design practice known as “planned obsolescence.”

Prophetik is stocked in over 10 high-end boutiques throughout fifteen states including Fred Segal in America; Eco Age and My Sugarland in London; and in Japan and Switzerland. A media favorite and a prominent voice in the ethical fashion arena, Jeff dresses Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, Kings of Leon, and the Jonas Brothers, Julia Styles and recently dressed film producer and prominent VOGUE.COM UK contributor, Livia Firth for the 2011 Golden Globes including James Cameron’s wife Suzy Cameron for the Oscar’s global green event. Mr. Garner was also one of 10 designers chosen for the famous Royal wedding dresses for Kate. Prophetik will be available for a very limited time at Manhattan South from February 3rd to February 17th, 2012. www. prophetik.com

Featured Designer

IOTA: Designer Machteld Schrameijer Machteld Schrameijer attended the prestigious Ecole de Couture de Charles Montaigne. The Ecole de Couture emphasized the techniques that went into the making of a couture garment. Machteld’s teachers had worked at venerated French couture houses such as Chanel, Balenciaga and Lanvin. In 1997, she introduced her leather and shearling collection and has developed this line into a group of one of a kind and limited production pieces. Using the finest European skins, in her designs, she developed a flowing, light and natural style, embellished with fabrics collected on her travels. Luxurious textures and colours in unusual patterns and forms evoke far away cultures and places, but remain elegant, comfortable and modern. Ecological issues also factor into Machteld’s work. The skins that she uses are all by-products of the food market. They are durable, renewable, recyclable, bio-digradable. The chemical alternatives like fake fur, to real leather and shearling are not as effective nor environment friendly. For her, a product made out of animal skin, ties into a very old feeling of luxury, adornment and protection. www.iotawestenburg.com b-metro.com

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Bridal Saturday BRIDAL DAY

6 Runway Shows: Bella Bridesmaid Bella Couture The Clothes Tree Mr. Burch Ivory and White Heidi Elnora

Headlining Designer: Heidi Elnora

Heidi Elnora knows how to inject that “Southern sparkle” into the modern girl’s wedding. From a small town to Project Runway and back, Heidi has patterned her life after fashion. Since the launch of the heidi elnora brand in 2006, Heidi has dressed hundreds of brides from Los Angeles to Dubai (and everywhere in between) for their big day. www.heidielnora.com Sponsored by Kathy G & Company and Alabama Weddings magazine

Saturday Featured Designer Christopher Collins Collection: Designer Christopher Collins Sponsored by the Clothes Tree by Deborah

As a Gen Art honoree and a “Resident Talent” for Lucky magazine, Christopher Collins is becoming an unstoppable force in fashion. Made in San Francisco with European and Japanese textiles, each garment demonstrates quality, luxury, high fashion and femininity with a fit that rival the greatest in the industry. In Fall 2008, Christopher Collins founded Christopher Collins™ with lifetime friend and award winning filmmaker, Erica Filanc Tanamachi. As Tim Gunn noted on Project Runway, Christopher Collins is “redefining American Sportswear.” www.christophercollinscollection.com facebook.com/pages/christopher-collins-collection 142

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Saturday Headlining Designer

What Goes Around Comes Around Founded by college friends Gerard Maione and Seth Weisser, What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA) began as a meticulously edited vintage boutique in SoHo, New York. After more than a decade spent traveling the globe in search of the finest vintage clothing and antiquities, Maione and Weisser launched the WGACA Collection, a vintage-inspired line for women and men. The founders’ vast knowledge in fashion history coupled with their keen focus on current trends inspired a modern collection with a vintage aesthetic.

The WGACA Collection has enjoyed a tremendous response since its launch. Some notable fans include Nicole Richie, Robert Pattinson, Victoria and David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Katy Perry, Jessica Simpson and Lenny Kravitz, among others. The Collection is sold in more than 100 of the top specialty stores around the world, including Bergdorf Goodman, Harvey Nichols and Fred Segal. www.whatgoesaroundnyc.com

Featured Designer Leona Collection

Lauren Leonard is the creative mind behind Leona. Her entrepreneurial spirit and adoration for fashion were recognized at an early age. She had an intuitive eye for fashion trend forecasting and loved to inform her family and friends of the next big fashion movement long before it appeared in stores.

At 16, she began working in luxury fashion boutiques and quickly became a women’s buyer. In college she decided to further pursue her fascination with fashion, and eventually she made the move from her deep southern roots to the bustling streets of New York City. While working in New York, her confidence in her vision grew as she excelled in the world of design.

Lauren returned to the South determined to take her experience and passion and evolve them into her very own contemporary luxury line, Leona. A true forerunner in the industry, she purposefully branded her company from within the Southeast. Leona is redefining the term southern belle with fashion girls from Manhattan to Tokyo. Every piece of Leona achieves the perfect balance of whimsical detailing and sophisticated silhouette.

With celebrity fans like Taylor Swift and Giuliana Rancic, sightings in Lucky, Elle and People magazines, and hit television shows Gossip Girl and 90210, Leona is becoming one of the fastest growing contemporary labels in fashion today! www.leonacollection.com b-metro.com

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Retail Partners Gus Mayer

www.gusmayer.com Gus Mayer was founded in New Orleans in 1900. From a single store on Canal Street, the operation eventually grew to more than 20 stores across the country. During the 1970’s, the Gus Mayer stores were sold off individually.

In 1975, the Pizitz family purchased the Birmingham, Alabama operation, and later bought the Nashville store. Gus Mayer of Birmingham moved to its new location in February 2011 and is one of the premiere shopping destinations of The Summit Lifestyle Center. Gus Mayer sells designer, contemporary, bridge clothing, accessories, shoes and jewelry for women, as well as cosmetics, fragrances and gifts. These stores continue to flourish and are considered the leading designer specialty stores in Alabama and Tennessee. http://www.facebook.com/gusmayerbham

Shaia’s

www.shaias.com; facebook.com/shaiasclothing Shaia’s is a menswear retailer in the finest sense of the tradition, featuring makers such as Zegna, John Varvatos and Luciano Barbera, among many.

Shaia’s has been included numerous times in Esquire Magazine’s annual “Best of Class” issue – awarded the Gold Standard for menswear stores – alone among Alabama retailers. More than a shop that sells suits, sportswear, shoes, accessories and formal wear, Shaia’s is a destination for camaraderie, much like a coffee house or men’s club of old. It’s a mingling of generations, personalities and points of view where anyone can feel at home upon arrival, and will be well-dressed upon departure.

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Retail Partners SOCA

www.socaclothing.com Voted “Best Boutique” two years in a row by Birmingham magazine readers, Soca Clothing offers women the latest fashions, an array of designer denim and a unique local shopping experience. With more than two thousand pairs of designer denim to choose from, Soca Clothing has a team of trained denim experts to help women of all ages find the perfect fit and style. Known for their outstanding customer service, Soca Clothing is the one-stop shop to buy everything you need to rock the latest fashions. From accessories and shoes to dresses and denim, this contemporary boutique offers the best collections in the fashion industry. www.facebook.com/socaclothing

Stella Blu

www.shopstellablu.com Stella Blu is a contemporary women’s boutique created by two sisters, Halle Ray and Emily Arnold. These best friends and sisters both graduated in Fashion Design from Auburn University and interned in New York for major fashion designers. Emily’s path took her to Los Angeles where she worked as a stylist to the stars. Eventually both moved back to Alabama with one goal in mind … to make both of their dreams of owning a women’s boutique a reality. Stella Blu opened its doors June 17, 2010 and has been buzzing ever since. The boutique prides itself on carrying lines that cannot be found at department stores or other Birmingham boutiques. Shopping at Stella Blu is like walking into a Soho or LA boutique, but with Southern hospitality. The environment is laid back, friendly and keeps you coming back for more. You can expect to find many chic lines such as: Rebecca Minkoff, Leyendecker, Aaron Ashe, Rory Becca, Sold denim, Yumi Kim, Amanda Uprichard, Dolce Vita, Tart, Isabel Lu, Blu Moon, Zoa etc. www.facebook.com/stellablu

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Retail Partners Laura Kathryn

www.shoplaurakathryn.com Laura Kathryn is an exclusive women’s boutique located in Crestline Village.

Dressing the city’s women for the past twenty years, it carries one of a kind items and select designer labels. Go in and you will find exquisite pieces by designers such as Alice + Olivia, Calleen Cordero, Cordani, Ella Moss, Frye, Joie, Rebecca Taylor, Shoshanna, Tibi, Velvet and Waverly Grey. We carry not only a large selection of womens clothing but also timeless jewelry, fabulous shoes, and beautiful handbags perfect for women of all ages. From teenagers to hip moms or college ladies to career women, at Laura Kathryn, we have the perfect items to satisfy any fashion craving. www.facebook.com/laurakathryn

Theadora

www.theadora.com Just voted by Harpers Bazaar for the sixth year in a row as a style leader for the Top 100 boutiques in the USA. Theadora represents the vision of sisters Debbie Sarris Owen and Dora Sarris Cothren. In 1994, the Birmingham Alabama natives aspired to expand the local retail scene by marketing lesser-known designers from around the globe. Today,their boutiques well edited selection of clothing and accessories attracts a loyal following of hipsters of all ages. It is a fitting homage to their grandmother, the original Theadora. www.facebook.com/theadoraabbeyluxe

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