Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week® Announces Emerging Designer Semifinalists

CHARLESTON, S.C., Dec. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^® (CFW), one of the leading fashion events in the U.S., is proud to announce the Emerging Designer Top Design 20 semifinalists for CFW 2015. Officially called the Emerging Designer Competition: East presented by Benefitfocus, the Top 20 Designers were selected from more than 170 applicants who applied for the coveted opportunity to showcase their talent on a nationally recognized runway in front of leading fashion insiders and more than 1,000 guests. Scheduled for March 17 – 21, 2015 under the tents in downtown Charleston, S.C., the five-day event showcases collections of emerging designers, nationally renowned designer runway shows, glamorous on-site tents such as the Belk Tent, and shopping in the night club setting of the Style Lounge, hip after-parties and much more! Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased by visiting www.charlestonfashionweek.com

The CFW Emerging Designer Competition began eight years ago and serves as a platform for undiscovered talent and connects them with fashion industry insiders. Previous winners and contestants have been featured on CNN, VOGUE, Marie Claire, ELLE, WWD, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and other major media outlets, as well as having their collections picked up by stores such as Anthropologie, BARNEY's New York, and Neiman Marcus.

This year's fashion panel is again headed by fashion Icon and New York Fashion Week creator Fern Mallis and includes well-known designers Todd Snyder, David Hart, Hunter Bell, Charles Harbison, Lindsey Carter, Katherine McDonald and fashion blogger, Andrea Serrano. The Emerging Designer Grand Prize Winner selected by the panel at the end of the week will receive a prize package worth more than $25,000 – the largest grand prize in the competition's history, including a chance to be a featured designer at CFW 2016, an internship during New York Fashion Week 2015 and a once-in–a-lifetime opportunity for a private lunch with Fern Mallis.

The 2015 Emerging Designers Competition: East semifinalists chosen to debut their collections at CFW 2015 are:

Tickets for Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^® are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.charlestonfashionweek.com. Prices range from $ 45- $155 for individual tickets to front row weekly packages for $1,100.

Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^® welcomed 7,500 guests to last year's event, and this year will be bigger than ever with an expanded VIP tent, a new interactive tent showcasing CFW's success stories, a week-long series of bridal events, and more. For more information on CFW, bios on the 2014 Top Design 20 semifinalists, and to purchase tickets, visit the website www.charlestonfashionweek.com.

About Benefitfocus:
Benefitfocus, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNFT) is a leading provider of cloud-based benefits software solutions for consumers, employers, insurance carriers and brokers. Benefitfocus has served more than 23 million consumers on its platform that consists of an integrated portfolio of products and services enabling clients to more efficiently shop, enroll, manage and exchange benefits information. With a user-friendly interface and consumer-centric design, the Benefitfocus Platform provides one place for consumers to access all their benefits. Benefitfocus solutions support the administration of all types of benefits including core medical, dental and other voluntary benefits plans as well as wellness programs. For more information, visit www.benefitfocus.com

About Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^®: 
Showcasing fashion designers, retailers, and models, Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^®  (CFW) has fast become one of the premier fashion weeks in North America. Named a Top 20 Event for March by the Southeast Tourism Society, this multimedia event presents high-end runway shows, interactive entertainment, chic after-parties, and press events. The 2014 event featured more than 40 runway shows, over 7,000 attendees, Charleston Weddings' Spring Bridal Show, Emerging Designer Competition: East presented by Benefitfocus, and the Rock the Runway Model Competition™. Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week^® 2015 is scheduled for March 17^th-21^st. For more information visit charlestonfashionweek.com & for the 2014 recap video visit charlestonfashionweek.com/about 

Contact: Angharad Chester-Jones
PR, Charleston Fashion Week^®
(843) 971-9811 (ext.322)
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141202/161976

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SOURCE Charleston Fashion Week(R)

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