Finalists Selected For the Independent Handbag Designer Awards
Handbag Designer 101 Honors Excellence at First Annual Handbag Awards.
New York, NY (PRWEB) May 14, 2007 -- Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, announces today the long awaited results of the preliminary finalists for the Independent Handbag Designer Awards. Over 350 applications were received from around the world ranging with diverse backgrounds from Oklahoma to Ethiopia to Australia. Finalists compete for a monetary prize, having their bag featured in the Fashion Center Business Improvement District's display window in the heart of New York City's Garment Center, as well as other press-related accolades in addition to being named the best in their respective category. The Independent Handbag Designer Awards provides an opportunity for undiscovered handbag designers to receive credibility and recognition to stand out in today's competitive accessory market. The winners will be announced on June 20th at the IDHA event at the Museum of the City of New York.
"These 21 designers share a common passion, commitment and creativity to make a unique handbag while being role-models for entrepreneurship and small business," says Emily Blumenthal, founder of Handbag Designer 101 and the Independent Handbag Designer Awards. "Each designer has achieved handbag design excellence in each category of Best Student-Made Handbag, Best Handmade Handbag, Most-Socially Responsible Handbag and Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design."
These 21 finalists were chosen by a preliminary judging panel of Handbag Designer 101. The winners of each category will be selected by a prestigious group of individuals. They are Carrie Chapman (Senior Accessories Buyer for Barneys New York), Rebecca Weinberg (Emmy Award Winning costume designer and stylist), Phyllis Magidson (Curator of costume design and textiles for the Museum of the City of New York), Paula Correri (Accessories Editor of the Tobe Report), Robin Beck (Accessories Editor for CosmoGIRL! Magazine), Irenka Jakubiak (Editorial Director for Accessories Magazine), and Julia Poteat (Assistant Professor of Fashion Methods for Parsons The New School For Design.) These finalists, whose bags all must be made under their own label, representing a wide range of styles and designs, in each category are:
Best Student Made Handbag - The finalist's bags are students who have successfully started their lines while still in high school or university where a major in design is optional. This award will be presented by Barbara Blair Randall, Executive Director of the Fashion Center Business Improvement District.
- Elena Estaun Sanchez, Elena Estaun, Parsons The New School for Design, New York
- Wei Wei Chang, Wei Wei Chang, Scuola de Cuoio, Florence, Italy
- Yumi Holder, Yumi, Canberra Institute of Technology: TAFE, Canberra, Australia
- Charmaine Ho, Me Char, Parsons the New School for Design, New York
- Jana K Friedman, Jana K Designs, Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
Best Handmade Handbag - The finalist's bags must be sewn, crocheted, knit or made with any other material as long as the bags are not being produced an a mass-manufacturing of any level. This award will be presented by Rosy Ngo, Editorial Director of Potter Craft/Random House.
- Karen Meyers, Karen Meyers
- Tracey Vest, Tracey Vest
- Nina Rosen, Nina Perrera Handbags
- JP Dewberry, Southern Vitality
- Nadia Williams, Nadia Williams
Most Socially Responsible Handbag - The finalist's bags must be made in a country where a portion of proceeds are given back to the country of manufacturing or employ local communities to create jobs and work in destitute regions. This award will be presented by Gabrielle Gilliam, Executive Director of the Bottomless Closet.
- Pauline Lewis and Le Thi Hong Tu, oovoo, Made in Vietnam
- Maria Estrada, IGNES, Made in Uruguay
- Arnold Haas, WUBET, Made in Ethiopia
- Jamila Hubbard, Mad Imports, Made in Madagascar
- Clare Elsmore-Dodsworth, Gifted Label, Made in Mongolia
Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design - This category represents the best executed handbag in overall style and design and will be presented by IDHA judge, Irenka Jakubiak who is also the Editorial Director for Accessories Magazine.
- Osnat Gad, Ocie Minaudiere
- Katherine Kwei, Katherine Kwei
- Dayme, Babee D
- Scarlett Chamides, Chamides, Inc.
- Jane August, Jane August
The final category to be celebrated is "Audience-Selected Handbag" where fans can vote for their favorite independent handbag designer. This award will be presented by popular Handbag Designer 101 writer, Jaime Lynn Guli. This designer that received the most votes will be announced the night of June 20th at the IDHA event with the other category winners. These aforementioned category finalists' work can be seen at www.handbagdesigner101.com/awards/finalists.
Iconic handbag designer Carlos Falchi will receive the first Lifetime Achievement Award at this event. Falchi has changed the landscape of accessory design. For more than three decades, he has earned international acclaim as an innovative designer of modern, cutting-edge handbags and accessories. A retrospective of Carlos Falchi's work will be displayed at the Independent Handbag Awards with his Lifetime Achievement Awards presented by Lincoln Moore, Vice-President Division Merchandising Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue.
The main underwriting sponsor of the IDHA is Wells Fargo Century, the largest bank-affiliated factoring company in the United States, providing companies with senior secured loans and factoring services. Additional sponsors include: The Fashion Business Improvement District, Garment Industry Development Corporation, Parsons the New School for Design, Wathne Limited, M&J Trimming, Global Leathers, Rosen & Chadick Fabrics, RIRI Zippers/Pacific Trimmings, Bags for Me.com, Verve boutique, the International Bag Corporation, Gotham Bank of New York, Clothing Labels 4U.com, Ecco Domani and the Bottomless Closet.
For complete information or to get tickets for the Independent Handbag Designer Awards, check out www.handbagdesigner101.com
Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, was inspired by the need for the handbag designer, aficionado and fan in all of us as one knows we can never have too many bags. Handbag Designer 101 and Independent Handbag Designer Awards trademarks are owned by handbagdesigner101.com, a privately held company based in New York City.
Today's HB101: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/designer
Bag Trends: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/trends
Celebrity Bag Watch: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/celebrity
Handbag Events: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/handbag_events
Contact: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com
Contact: 866-206-9067 x2342
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/U2luZy1aZXRhLUluc2UtRW1wdC1UaGlyLVplcm8=
Bookmark -
Del.icio.us |
Furl It |
Technorati |
Ask |
MyWeb |
Propeller |
Live Bookmarks |
Newsvine |
TailRank |
Reddit |
Slashdot |
Digg |
Stumbleupon |
Google Bookmarks |
Sphere |
Blink It |
Spurl
|
