Supima Design Competition 10th Anniversary Runway Show NYFW

This past week, June Ambrose served as host, as models took the stage as Supima presented the tenth-annual Supima Design Competition at Chelsea Piers, NYC.

Celebrity stylist June Ambrose and designer Bibhu Mohapatra attend Supima Design Competition SS18 runway show during New York Fashion Week at Pier 59 on September 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Supima Design Competition)

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 07: (L-R) Buxton Midyette, June Ambrose, Bibhu Mohapatra, and Fern Mallis attend Supima Design Competition SS18 runway show during New York Fashion Week at Pier 59 on September 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images for Supima Design Competition)

The competition is a collective runway showing of participating designers from the nation’s top design schools presented capsule collections of women’s eveningwear made exclusively with donated Supima cotton fabrics from the organization’s partners including AG Jeans, Brooks Brothers and Uniqlo.

Started in 2008, the annual Supima Design Competition was created to give runway exposure to emerging talent and was modeled on the legendary 1954 Wool Secretariat competition that launched the careers of the then-teenaged Yves St. Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld. Since its start, former Supima Design Competition winners have gone on to launch their own labels, show at New York Fashion Week, and secure jobs with top international labels including Michael Kors, Marchesa, Ralph Lauren and Phillip Lim.

Amongst the attendees included recent graduates from the nation’s top leading design schools including:

Abigail Griswold from Rhode Island School Of Design, Alyssa Wardrop from Fashion Institute Of Technology, Alexandra Pijut from Savannah College Of Art And Design, Elizabeth “Nancy” Hennessey from Fashion Institute Of Design & Merchandising, Lela Thompson from Drexel University, Margaret Kwon from Parsons The New School and Sarah Johnson from Kent State University

The winner, Alyssa Wardrop from Fashion Institute of Technology, was selected by the below panel of judges, and received a $10,000 check from Supima to kick-start her design career. Additionally, Alyssa will present her collection during Paris Fashion Week on Sept. 26.

Judges included:

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson – co-founder, Fitz. Co
Carmen Lilly – stylist
Fern Mallis – founder, New York Fashion Week
Jade Frampton – executive market editor, ELLE
Katharine Zarrella – founder, Fashion Unfiltered
Nicole Chapoteau – fashion director, Allure
Paige Reddinger – fashion editor, The Daily Front Row
Sarah Kauss – founder, S’well
Scott Morrison – designer, 3 x 1
Tracey Greenstein – business reporter, WWD
Tyler McCall – deputy editor, Fashionista
Zach Weiss – columnist, Observer

For the third year, fashion designer Bibhu Mohapatra served as mentor to the seven finalists, providing invaluable feedback and insight throughout the process.

Scroll below for more images including backstage.

For more information log on to Supima’s social media: Twitter: @Supima | Instagram:@Supima_Cotton | #SupimaDesignCompetition

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Nikki Fowler

Award-Winning Publisher, Writer, Critic + Journalist || Tweet me @nikkifowler28