The Emerging MemphisDesigner ProjectPresented by Memphis Fashion Week

Top l to r: Karen Krog, Najee Strickland, Terial Lee, Jobe 88 (Nick Hall and Aharon Thomas), Elizabeth Crider, Tara Skelley, Brittany Jones (designer not pictured), and Mari GivensBottom L to r: Regina Dickerson, Sarah Hascher, Megan Travis Carr, Molly Doan, Star Hawks, and Les Lumieres (Madison Miller and Adair Smith)

Top l to r: Karen Krog, Najee Strickland, Terial Lee, Jobe 88 (Nick Hall and Aharon Thomas), Elizabeth Crider, Tara Skelley, Brittany Jones (designer not pictured), and Mari GivensBottom L to r: Regina Dickerson, Sarah Hascher, Megan Travis Carr, Molly Doan, Star Hawks, and Les Lumieres (Madison Miller and Adair Smith)

he Emerging Memphis Designer Project was cre-ated by the director of Memphis Fashion Week

(MFW), Abby Phillips, to encourage growth of thefashion industry in Memphis. MFW had more than30 submissions for the Emerging Memphis DesignerProject from applicants as young as 9 yearsold. Applicants ranged from art teachers to designstudents and costumers, all from the Memphisarea. The MFW advisory board had a tough timemaking a decision, but narrowed the finalists downto 14 designers with 31 looks based off sketches theysubmitted for Spring/Summer 2013, which are shownon the following pages.

Those chosen designers will see their finalgarments on models walking the runway on Friday,April 5, at the historic Cadre Building downtown.This will be a great experience for the designers tosee their works through, from conception to produc-tion. Audience members will have the opportunityto vote on their favorite designer, and the audiencechoice winner will be announced on April 6 at therunway shows held at Memphis College of Art.

Proceeds from the official event will benefitthe Emerging Memphis Designer Project andArtsMemphis. Visit MemphisFashionWeekend.comfor more information.

Photography: Marta Felix Special thanks to: Stash and the Levitt Shell

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