New York Fashion Week may be a chance for established and emerging designers to showcase their latest collections, but for eight design students across the country, it could be the opportunity of a lifetime. Thanks to the Supima Design Competition that takes place each Fashion Week, these students have a shot at vying for visibility and earning their spot in the cutthroat industry.
Supima, the nonprofit brand that promotes the use of American grown Pima cotton around the world, is back to organize the 15th annual competition on September 10th. Eight students from leading design schools across the country will compete for the chance to win $10,000. Supermodel and entrepreneur Coco Rocha and award-winning CFDA designer Christian Siriano will host the live show and will be joined by a prestigious panel of 18 judges, made up of leaders and influencers across the industry, to select the winner.
Each finalist will be challenged to create a womenswear capsule collection using premium Supima cotton fabrics. (Supima is luxury cotton responsibly grown by family farms in the U.S. and used by leading brands and designers around the world.) They will be mentored by designer Bibhu Mohapatra, and have the opportunity to learn how to translate their designs for the runway to wow the judges.
Unlike past competitions that featured six finalists, this year’s competition will feature eight. Finalists include Bryan Barrientos from Fashion Institute of Technology, Antonia Bruno from Kent State University, Chan Kyoo Hwang from Drexel University, Fabian Renteria from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Michelle Sumin Suh from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Candice Tianyu from Academy of Art University, Taku Yhim from The New School Parsons, and Hu Jun Yi from Rhode Island School of Design.
The live runway presentation will take place on September 10th at 7pm EST and will be available to stream on Supima’s Instagram page.
Editor’s note: If you missed the livestream, you can view the full show here. Designer Taku Yhim from The New School Parsons took home the coveted prize.
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