Fashion is a field known for its prodigies. Zac Posen broke into the field at the age of 16 and was dressing celebs like Naomi Campbell by the time he was 20; at 18, Michelle Smith was the first American to work at Hermès in Paris and launched her Milly brand shortly after graduating college. Coincidentally or not, both Posen and Smith had their runway debuts during GenArt's annual Fresh Faces in Fashion show, which has served as a showcase for the work of emerging design talent in various cities for the past 12 years, and in Miami for the past five.
With nearly 1,000 audience members expected, this year's Fresh Faces Miami event on Saturday is poised to be the organization's biggest yet. Gen Art received more than 60 applications for a show that will only include the work of seven new designers, in addition to that of two Fresh Faces alumni from last year's show in New York.
''The competition was tough,'' says Monica Glass, GenArt's director of events, mentioning that this year's applicant pool differed from those of years past because the majority of the applicants did not hail from Miami, but rather from all over Florida and Georgia. ''We had really strong representation from across the region in the applications, which indicates to me that the Miami show is becoming more and more important,'' says Glass.
Final selections were made by a committee of local fashion designers, buyers and fashion editors. The 2008 winners are the labels Megan Huntz Dresses and Shumaq in the womenswear category; August Alexander in menswear; and Malcolm Fontier, Nazly Villamizar and Septimo in accessories. Two womenswear winners from last year, Grace Sun and Bensoni, will also show.
''The show has always been exciting,'' says Glass, who has worked for GenArt for the past 4 ½ years, but is directing Fresh Faces Miami for the first time. ``It's especially exciting this year because we're holding it at the Gansevoort South Hotel, which is a great brand for Gen Art to associate with. We're honored to host the first major event on the property.''
Organizers are going all out to make sure that the evening classifies as a major event. The runway will be constructed over the hotel's rooftop pool, and a subsequent afterparty will be held at Plunge, the pool lounge. And in celebration of the show's fifth anniversary, Karelle Levy and Julian Chang, who were part of the very first Fresh Faces Miami show, designed outfits for the cocktail waitresses.
''The Fresh Faces platform is like the training wheel on a bicycle,'' says designer Sun, who is one of the New York alumni. ``It's a great platform to learn how to network, earn publicity and throw a great fashion show with the large staff and resources Gen Art provides. You can't lose from this experience.''
This year five local designers -- menswear, womenswear, swimwear and accessories -- are prepared to showcase their work during Fresh Faces. Here's a little about Miami's best.
AUGUST ALEXANDER
Kingston, Jamaica-born Courtney Alexander Russell learned how to draw at private classes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, so it's no wonder his designs feature dramatic structural lines. He integrated the word August into his brand name because it conveys high authority, and his menswear, with exotic fabrics, extensive hand detailing and deep colors, aspires to a regal air. Russell also owns a boutique in Dallas.
FABIANA FERREIRA
A native of Brazil who studied fashion design in Miami and Italy, Ferreira cites a Brazilian bikini as her first favorite outfit. But the versatility of her seductive swimwear collection is that it integrates a range of light-as-air dresses and tops, as well as accessories, in a range of pastel and jungle-colored prints. Find her funky cruisewear at Passion Swimwear at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach and Rebel on Biscayne Boulevard.
SEPTIMO
High-profile fans of Silvia Fassardi and Gustavo Rohrscheib's line of semi-precious stones include Janice Dickinson, Gloria Estefan and Vivian Fernandez, the first lady of Panama. The design duo uses a 24-karat gold overlay process in crafting its auspicious pieces (the line is named after the lucky number seven in Spanish), which rely heavily on nature motifs. Fassardi and Rohrscheib have plans to open a Coral Gables flagship, but Septimo is also carried at Bloomingdales, hip.e in Coral Gables, Julian Chang Couture in Miami's Upper East Side and Sparkle in Coconut Grove.
SHUMAQ
Glass points to sister team Shumaq's romantic, vintage-inspired cocktail dresses as indicators of the high-quality, commercial clothes being showcased at Fresh Faces Miami. Vanessa and Jacqueline Barrantes started their line less than three years ago, but they're already carried by Barney's, Anthropologie and Intermix. Locally, you can find their sweet silhouettes at Aura in Coral Gables.
NAZLY VILLAMIZAR
Villamizar's leather handbags, which mix calfskin with cow bone and horn, are all the rage among Miami fashionistas. Born in Colombia, Villamizar has a studio in the Design District and designed the staff uniforms at chic sushi spot Domo Japones. In Miami, her accessories are sold at Unique Accessories and The Shop.
