UA Apparel Design Students Ready to Take on the Fashion World

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A handful of University of Alabama apparel design students will vie for the title of 2015 Emerging Designer during the fifth annual Birmingham Fashion Week in May.

Of the 16 semi-finalists selected to showcase their looks on the runway during the fashion show’s Emerging Designer Competition this year, 10 were undergraduate students at UA and one was a graduate student.

In order to be considered for the competition, each applicant had to submit at least eight clothing sketches, create a digital mood board that described what inspired each design and interview with a team of judges.

The students selected are Leslie Beattie, of Florence; Kenya Buchanan, of Fairfield; Paige Denton, of Huntsville; Valerie King, of Peachtree City, Ga.; Seline Meisler, of Mountain Brook; Chelsea Rae, of Gadsden; Kerstin Brown, of Cleveland; Alex Garrison, of Madison; Megan Mitton, of Shreveport, La.; Liza Rogers, of Mobile; and graduate student Shan Latris, of Tuscaloosa.

“I’m beyond excited to be participating in Birmingham Fashion Week,” said the 21-year-old Rogers, a junior majoring in apparel and textile design in UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences.

“I want to push myself to think outside of the box while staying true to my personal style,” Rogers said. “I hope to learn about and develop my design process, and build on my strengths and improve my weaknesses as a designer. I’m trying to soak up and learn everything I can from this amazing opportunity.”

Birmingham Fashion Week provides a platform for local talent — models, designers, makeup and hair artists — to gain experience on and off the runway. The three-day show is packed with national designer runway shows, local competitions from junior high and high school students, as well as model and design competitions featuring this season’s hottest and newest trends.

“We encourage our students to go through the experience since it is outside of our College and allows them a chance to be judged, go through a fashion week process and add to their portfolio,” said Brian Taylor, an instructor in the department of clothing, textiles and interior design in UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences.

The semi-finalists will show their looks on the runway May 7 and May 8. The winner of the 2015 Emerging Designer Competition will be announced during the May 9 runway finale.

In addition to the sought-after title, the winner will receive a prize package including a guaranteed spot at Birmingham Fashion Week 2016 runway show, a television appearance, editorial piece, photo shoot with Birmingham Fashion Week professional photographer — including hair and makeup — and $1,000 scholarship.

For more information or to purchase tickets to the show, visit www.bhamfashionweek.com/.

“I hope that Birmingham Fashion Week prepares me for the fast-paced fashion world,” said 22-year-old Chelsea Morris, a senior majoring in apparel design who goes by “Chelsea Rae.” “One day, I hope to be showing collections twice a year. The only way to truly prepare for that environment is to participate in a fashion show, and Birmingham Fashion Week is the real deal.”