Project new designers

TOKYO, Japan — Because the fashion world is constantly searching for the next big thing, hunting for the newest fashion genius or coolest label is a job that trend forecasters, buyers, and journalists take very seriously.

Looking at the vast pool of young designers vying for recognition, one realizes that finding those who deserve success in this cutthroat industry is a tough job indeed.

While there are guerrilla methods to gain fame — such as getting a stylist’s endorsement or a running a fancy blog — having their own runway shows during fashion week still remains the most legitimate way for designers to make their mark, and then media attention and killer retail space or distribution follow.
 But what if all the above-mentioned ingredients were offered to a select group on a silver platter? Last March 23, five young designers opened Japan Fashion Week as part of a new initiative called Shinmai Creator’s Project.

Shinmai, which stands for “fresh rice” in Japanese, draws a parallelism between young rice full of nutrients and young designers full of potential. Spearheaded by Chanel president Richard Collasse, the Shimao Creator’s Project is an entry point for young designers interested in entering the Japanese market.

“The level of competition was very high and we were looking for absolute originality in work,” Collasse emphasized.

Of the 52 labels that applied, only five made the cut. The chosen ones came from New York, France, Switzerland, Australia and Japan. This elite group will have their collections fully sponsored — from the high-quality Japanese fabrics they will use, down to the runway show. On top of that, their collections will be sold at premier department store Isetan for at least two weeks in June.

Dedicated to promoting new talent, the group behind Japan Fashion Week aims to continue this project and is now calling for applications to the 2nd Shinmai Creator’s Project. This may be your chance to be fashion’s next big thing. To apply, click on: http://jfw-o.jp/en/index.html. Deadline is on April 24, 2009.

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To learn more about the current designers of Shinmai Creator’s Project go to l “designers” http://www.jfw.jp/en/shinmai/index.html#designers.