Fashion for everyone

Attention all aspiring designers (I'm thinking of some of my friends in particular), the search for the next Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation designers is starting again, and seven brands (4 Womenswear, 1 Menswear, 1 Accessories and 1 Sustainable Design) will be selected to receive $25,000 each to showcase their collections at New York's Fall 2011 Fashion Week. Former winners include Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Doo Ri, As Four, Richard Chai, Alexander Wang, and my friend Joseph Altuzarra.

In addition to a cash prize that could launch an entire business, the Ecco Domani is naturally a source of incredible prestige, attracting industry-wide recognition for new talent. Judges for the selection committee include highly respected fashion experts like Sally Singer, Julie Gilhart, Ruth Finley, and our favorite downtown doyennes, Kim Hastreiter of Paper Magazine.

Naturally, since the prize is so large, the application is quite a big deal, and entrants are required to fill out plenty of forms, gather recommendation letters, and provide a 2-3 minute video describing their design aesthetic. If you are interest in applying, you can find the application and rules here. The deadline for submission is October 15th. Maybe Christina and I will get our acts together and apply ourselves (but don't count on it, we do have a lot on our plates at the moment)!