O'Neill's 3rd Annual 'Generation Next' Fashion and Music Event in Association with TEEN VOGUE Hits the Runway October 9th

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- O'Neill Clothing, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, today announced its 3rd annual "Generation Next" design competition and music event in association with TEEN VOGUE, to take place on Saturday, October 9th at 6:00pm at Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, Calif.   The evening will be co-hosted by designer and celebrity stylist, Soyon An, currently on tour with Carrie Underwood and two-time Emmy Award winner for costume design on the hit television series, "So You Think You Can Dance."  

Marking the completion of a six-month program based at O'Neill's headquarters in Irvine, Calif., five students from local high schools will present their original dress or romper and handbag designs on the runway during an action-packed evening, featuring an O'Neill Swim fashion show with international supermodel and O'Neill brand ambassador, Elyse Taylor; and a live musical performance by THE LIKE, whose second album RELEASE ME was produced by Mark Ronson.  Sponsored in part by Paul Mitchell and PacSun, the event will be streamed live on ONeill's Facebook fan page, www.facebook.com/oneillgirls.  

Each 2010 Generation Next participant is competing for an expanded Grand Prize package:

The winner will be determined by text message votes from the audience and webcast viewers on October 9th.  

The Generation Next program provides participants with the tools and expertise to bring their designs to life by teaching the fundamentals and execution of apparel and graphic design, merchandising, manufacturing and marketing; and culminates with a high-energy fashion show that continues to grow each year.  Last year's winner, Angela Urmanita (Rowland Heights, Calif.), was awarded a $4,000 scholarship in front of a sold-out crowd for her one-shouldered, 80's-inspired dress and purple handbag with zipper detailing. Angela currently has her sights set on attending New York University next year, with a goal of starting her own fashion company.

Generation Next 2010 launched in February, and the selected finalists will have the opportunity to present their work in front of the largest audience to date.  Initial submissions from TEEN VOGUE "It Girls" were narrowed down to five finalists, including: Taylor Castro from Anaheim, CA; Danielle Torres from Eagle Rock, CA; Brianna Elce from Torrance, CA; Alee Ramirez from Orange, CA; and Monica Santos from La Palma, CA.

"O'Neill is thrilled to work with these gifted students in all aspects of fashion design and marketing," said Cedar Carter, marketing director for O'Neill Girls.  "After six months of hard work, it's exciting to see their creative ideas and sketches turn into an amazing final product on the runway."

In addition to creating unique designs with the help of an O'Neill mentor, each finalist is tasked with building a group of peers to assist with marketing strategies, model casting, and runway production for the final event.  They also direct the overall look of their fashion show, including hair and make-up by the talented team at Paul Mitchell.  To help generate support, O'Neill visits each finalist's high school two weeks before the show to help lead a pep rally, where each girl promotes her participation in the event.

To expand Generation Next's online audience this year, O'Neill has teamed up with AOL's teen website, 'Just So You Know' (JSYK.com) to feature exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and video footage from various steps in the design process.  Visitors can learn about the finalists, get a sneak peek of their designs, inspirations and more at www.jsyk.com.

Tickets for O'Neill's Generation Next fashion and music event at Avalon Hollywood are now available for $12 each.  Visit the Events tab at www.facebook.com/oneillgirls for purchase info, updates and the LIVE webcast on October 9th!

About O'Neill Girls

O'Neill Girls is dedicated to and inspired by the adventurous and free-spirited young female.  Driven by O'Neill's heritage as the original California surf brand since 1952, O'Neill Girls stays true to its roots, while offering a unique fashion perspective that is modern and fresh.  Featuring a range of styles for all seasons both on and off the beach, O'Neill Girls includes a blend of effortlessly cool prints, dresses, tees, denim, fleece, jackets, accessories, swimwear and wetsuits.

Featured in hundreds of magazines and available in more than 85 countries around the world, O'Neill Girls reflects its personality through innovative collections, signature events, and exceptional athletes.  With talented team riders including surfers Malia Manuel and Sage Erikson, the brand continues to push the envelope of performance and is committed to providing today's most advanced and authentic youth lifestyle products.  Connecting fashion, surf and youth culture, O'Neill Girls introduced "Generation Next" in 2008 with TEEN VOGUE, an annual high school design program to foster tomorrow's fashion talents and create inspiration for future product lines.   For more information, visit www.oneill.com and www.facebook.com/oneillgirls.

About TEEN VOGUE

TEEN VOGUE is a Conde Nast publication bringing together style-conscious girls as the number one source of relevant fashion and beauty news.  TEEN VOGUE brings the sophistication and authority of VOGUE to a new generation of savvy young adults with the desire to be on the cutting edge of fashion, beauty and style. Launched in February 2003, TEEN VOGUE publishes 10 issues a year and has a guaranteed circulation of 1,000,000.

SOURCE O'Neill