• DEBUT- SERIES 08 Sponsorded by YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc.

• The goal of the Arts of Fashion Foundation is to promote creativity among young professionals and students and to support them in becoming better trained, true, and qualitative creative designers in order to sustain the best future for the fashion industry.

1. The International Arts of Fashion Competition gives the opportunity for design and fashion students at University level to participate in an international contest, allowing them to compete with other students from around the world on a common theme and be noticed and recognized on the global fashion stage. The prizes help students expand their knowledge, develop skills, and polish their fashion education by giving them the chance to intern and work with renowned fashion designers in their design studios or to win scholarships in highly recognized schools encouraging them to get a new perspective on the way they learn and approach fashion. Thereby, students continue to develop their potential and learn even more in this direction of excellence. The prizes given to the students are intended to improve their recognized creative talent within a creative environment. It is an encouragement for students to carry on at their best. The Arts of Fashion is honored and proud of its partnership with YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. - Silver sponsor for the AoF Competition - assists the Foundation in part of its funding to make this event possible, as well as contributing a monetary prize to each awarded student at a level of $650, helping them to cover their expenses.

YKK. Little Parts. Big Difference.®

• YKK, one of the world’s most famous producers of fastening products, has melded advanced technology, high-quality and innovative design, as well as creativity and fashion into its products, making accessories for apparel functional and performance enhancing. YKK, who strongly believes in supporting creativity around the world, has developed its own contest in Japan for years and has already built a partnership with another international fashion competition in Italy: I.T.S.
• YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. involvement with the Arts of Fashion becomes more important and will make another big difference in assisting some selected young designers, alumni of the Arts of Fashion’s programs, to bring their first collection on the runway in the Debut-Series 08, benefiting the Arts of Fashion international professional network. Through the Debut-Series, the relationship the Arts of Fashion builds with students during their college years can continue to grow and bear fruit as those students become mature young professionals. YKK is recognized one more time for its true values, in addition to its long time commitment to innovation and creativity within the fashion industry and respect and care for the future generation including its concern for the environment. YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. sustains the bridge for alumni students to impact the fashion industry; allowing them to coincidentally realize their dreams.
• Main rules for the applicants to the Debut-Series 2008 sponsored by YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc.
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  • The Debut-Series is open to all persons who have participated in the Arts of Fashion Competition and/or Masterclass-Series, in previous years or are a member of the Arts of Fashion Foundation.
  • Each applicant must no longer be enrolled in a post-secondary institution and must have graduated no longer than 6 years from date of submission entry
  • To enter into the Debut-Series, applicant should register by emailing his/her resume to <contact-us@arts-of-fashion.org> • After confirmation of registration, applicant would have to submit drawings of a collection plan of 6 to 8 outfits with at least one sample garment. The deadline for submission will be April 24, 2008.
• The Arts of Fashion review committee will meet on May 2-3, 2008 and will select 3 emerging designers to participate in the AoF event 08. These finalists will be recognized as YKK supported young designers. The committee will advise them throughout the process of making their collection, if necessary. In addition, YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. will provide them with all fastening products they could need to the limit of $200 (per designer).
• YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. - Platinum sponsor for the Debut-Series - assists the Foundation in its funding to make this new Series possible, as well as providing monetary prizes for each of the 3 young designer finalists at a level of $2,000 (per designer) to help them cover the expense of making their collections. Flight and accommodation will be also covered to attend the event.
• The Debut-Series sponsored by YKK Corporation of America / YKK (U.S.A.) Inc. will allow 3 young promising designers to develop a collection and present it on the Arts of Fashion runway during the International Arts of Fashion Student Competition and Symposium 08.

• The 2008 Arts of Fashion -YKK Debut-Serie Recipients are :
• Natallia Pilipenka, Stephanie Otto and Akarasun Seanglai
• Congratulations!
  

• Natallia Pilipenka inspired by Frank Gehry Architecture

  With the support of YKK of America, we are pleased to announce that this year three new young designers have just been selected to present their first collection for Debut-Series 08 in San Francisco! Natallia Pilipenka, Stephanie Otto and Akarasun Seanglai are the winners. They all live and work in New York. On May 22nd - at the New York office of YKK of America - they presented their project and also received $2,000 (per person) in order to help them with their collection expenses. (Flight and accommodations will be also covered).

  Stephanie Otto inspired by Surrealism Art

  They are no strangers to the Arts of Fashion as Akarasun Seanglai was one of the 10 selected students to represent the United States in the former Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode in 2003 in Paris, Stephanie Otto won the Arts of Fashion Competition 2004 at Oklahoma State University and Natallia Pilipenka is the recipient of the Anne-Valerie Hash Award 07 for the Arts of Fashion international competition 07 in Miami!

  Akarasun Seanglai inspired by the indigo color of the Jeans

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• Congratulations to them all! Their projects reflect all their creativity and talent! Rendez-vous on the Arts of Fashion Runway on Oct 28-29, 2008 to discover their very first collections!