GQ announced the establishment of its Best New Menswear Designers in America project, an annual initiative started in collaboration with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
The competitive effort will recognize the rising stars of American men's fashion design. The magazine selected six designers as finalists in the inaugural competition, and each will be featured in its February 2008 issue.
A panel of industry experts chaired by GQ editor-in-chief Jim Nelson, GQ creative director Jim Moore, and the CFDA will choose the winner.
"We feel it's an exciting and pivotal time for men's fashion in America, with new and very promising designers emerging every season," said Jim Nelson, GQ editor-in-chief.
"GQ is committed to doing anything we can to support them. We hope this initiative helps put a spotlight on the best and the brightest."
The six finalists selected by GQ are Engineered Garments (Daiki Suzuki and Angelo Urrutia, designers), Gilded Age (Stefan Miljanic, designer), Obedient Sons (Swaim Hutson and Christina Hutson, designers), Rag & Bone (David Neville and Marcus Wainwright, designers), Spurr (Simon Spurr, designer), and Steven Alan (Steven Alan, designer).
On January 30, 2008, the designers will each present a selection of looks from their fall 2008 collections at a special presentation and celebration in New York City.
"Menswear created by American designers is redefining the way men dress," commented Steven Kolb, CFDA Executive Director.
"The GQ project underscores the growth and emergence of the men's fashion industry and the importance of celebrating new menswear talents in America."
The winning designer will receive a $50,000 cash prize and the opportunity to create a "capsule" collection for Levi's, designed around the blue-jean- inventing brand, which will enjoy an exclusive month-long debut at several Bloomingdale's locations at the start of New York Fashion Week in September.
In addition, the winner's collection will be available on Levi. The winner will also participate in a mentoring initiative led by GQ, Levi's, and Bloomingdale's. A select item or outfit from the winner's collection for Levi's will be featured in the September 2008 issue of GQ.
"As the inventor of the iconic 501 jean - an American original in its own right -Levi's has always been interested in supporting and mentoring the icons of the future," added Robert Cameron, vice president of marketing for the Levi's brand.
"We're pleased to continue this long tradition and recognize the work of a new generation of American menswear designers."
The winner will be chosen by a panel of industry experts consisting of Caroline Calvin, Levi's senior vice president of global creative design; Kevin Harter, Bloomingdale's vice president of fashion direction; Steven Kolb, CFDA executive director; Jim Moore, GQ creative director; Jim Nelson, GQ editor-in- chief, and John Varvatos, American designer.
The final selection will be made by consensus among the panel members and will take place during February 2008.
GQ is the leading men's general-interest magazine with a monthly readership of 5.9 million readers. The magazine is published by Conde Nast Publications.
