An important goal of South Walton Fashion Week (Oct 11-13) is to showcase new fashion designers through the Emerging Designer competition.

The winning designer will be awarded a cash prize of $1,500, a custom photo shoot by fashion photographer Hayley Green of Goode and Green Photography (including rights to all images), a spread in the November/December issue of VIE Magazine, and a six month-long storefront display in Grand Boulevard’s Town Center at Sandestin. Following are the six designers who will be competing for this year’s prizes:

Cayce Collins | Petaluma

Emerald Coast native Cayce Collins believes every woman can and should feel like a knockout. Every one. “I am inspired by an era when women wore impeccably tailored garments, red lipstick and white gloves. I believe fashion should be practical and consumable, while still being lovely and feminine. My goal is to design relevant functional pieces that will inspire women to spend a few extra minutes lingering in front of the mirror. I want her to feel as beautiful as she is. Additionally, I am deeply committed to ethical clothing manufacturing principles. So, when wearing these pieces, women can feel confident that they look amazing and are contributing to a positive global impact. Petaluma is a spirited collection of pieces inspired by a trip I took to Petaluma, California. The pieces are structured and tailored, but have a sweet, ethereal quality.”

Andi Eaton | Hazel & Florange

Andi Eaton is the designer of Hazel & Florange; clothing inspired by New Orleans, the northern most Caribbean City. She is also the curator of the vintage-meets-southern fashion blog, Oui We Girl. Hazel & Florange is a celebration of southern charm; home spun, ethereal, and delicately beautiful.
 “Hazel & Florange are muses – living on the river, sipping espresso and playing scrabble into the night. They love sweet tea, a parade and a jazz band by the moonlight… always with a oui s’il vous plait mon cher.” Hazel & Florange is designed for the chicest girl in the room, manufactured in New Orleans.

Jennifer Nina Evans | Addiction

“As a designer, Jennifer Nina Evans is my outlet to take what is considered ‘ugly’ by society’s standards. By seeing the beauty in the most unlikely places, I’m able to blur the lines between art and fashion, creating thoughtful collections with underlying meaning in the inspiration. Many of my inspirations come from obsessing on dark harsh emotions and turning them into attention grabbing works of art. It’s a process of creating looks that really come to life on the stage. Through design I believe if I stay true to myself, others will see the beauty and passion in my need to express something greater.” The Spring/Summer 2014 Collection Addiction takes the journey of the socialite having a well put together life on the outside with little details into their troubled rebellious youth. Beautiful Mount Fuji, delicate silks and pops of lace juxtaposed with varsity jackets, skulls and razor blades, creates a mix of youthful couture.

Ashlie Ming | blackout.

Designer Ashlie Ming is a graduate of The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California. Raised in the suburbs of Jackson, Mississippi, she attended the University of Mississippi, eventually transferring to FIDM to begin her fashion career. After graduating, Ashlie joined the L.A. based line, Stella & Jamie. There she quickly learned her way around a design room and developed her own personal style. After learning about the emerging New Orleans fashion scene, Ashlie returned south and created her own label, blackout. Ashlie acknowledges that many of her designs are inspired by the cities she’s called home, as well as minimalism, art, and music. She continues to design with the goal of making “simple” stunning and promises each garment created will reflect her meticulous design philosophy. blackout. was founded in New Orleans in 2012 as a contemporary woman’s clothing label committed to influencing classic silhouettes with downtown edge. The line consists of high quality basics, sleek separates, and stylish dresses.

Ella Rose | Spring/Summer 2014

A recent graduate of LSU in Textiles, Apparel, Merchandising and Studio Art, Ella Rose has continued to develop her brand and business since her last season debut as an Emerging Designer. Born and raised in Shreveport, Ella moved to Baton Rouge to attend LSU where she got involved behind the scenes of fashion week and has since worked alongside the New Orleans Fashion Council, Mode Fashion Week, and Fashion Houston teams. Ready to take on her second season as a designer, Ella’s next collection is a little bit more about exploration of identity and the finding and losing of a child-like outlook. Spring/Summer 2014 is inspired by the story of Alice in Wonderland, and even more specifically “Painting the Roses Red,” as the deck of cards sing to Alice. “Spring/Summer is a time for bright colors and since that is something I like to use all year long, Spring is really bringing me to focus in on textures. I will be using Grade 3 Alligator skins, which are recycled from gator skins that would have been tossed, along with interesting textures created from basic cottons, organzas, and burnout velvets.”

Sarah Winford | Pretty Business

With the initials S.E.W., Sarah Elizabeth Winford has always said she was born to be a designer. Growing up in the small town of Helena, Alabama, Sarah developed her own sense of style by rummaging through local vintage and thrift shops and constantly researching fashion icons throughout history. After she received an Apparel Design & Production Management degree from Auburn University, Sarah moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to pursue her design ambitions. This is where her younger sister, AnnaKay Winford and she partnered up with life-long friends and owner of the Fraternity Collection. “I named this collection Pretty Business with the intent to bring a sense of femininity and structure to women’s business wear. Combining lightweight fabrics with leather detailing, these looks can be taken from day to night.”