Starfruit Cafe to Host Fashion Fete To Showcase Local Fashion Designers

CHICAGO, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hot on the heels of Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week, Starfruit Cafe is holding a competition for Chicago-based fashion designers on Thursday, October 6 from 6:00 - 8 p.m. The fashion extravaganza will be held at their Lincoln Park location (2142 N. Halsted) where four finalists will showcase their collections in front of a judge's panel of local fashion experts.

EVENT INFO:
Who: Chicago Fashion Designers
What: Starfuit Cafe Fashion Design Competition
Where: Starfruit Cafe, Lincoln Park: 2142 N. Halsted, Chicago IL 60614
When: Thursday, October 6; 6:00 -8 p.m.

The four final designers, who were chosen from over 50 initial submissions, will showcase the looks that they think best embody Chicago fall fashion. Fashion fans are invited to participate by logging on to the Starfruit Facebook page (facebook.com/starfruitcafe), where they will find information about each contestant and have a chance to cast their vote by "liking" their favorite designer. At the end of the night, Chicago's fashion influencers (who are listed below) will collectively pick a favorite look from one designer and, combined with the Facebook votes, will announce a winner, who will be awarded $500 in cash and a $50 Starfruit Cafe gift card.

"We just returned from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week where Starfruit's parent company, Lifeway Foods, Inc. (Nasdaq: LWAY), was a major sponsor," reports Julie Smolyansky, President and CEO of Lifeway Foods. "Fashion Week is the place for trendsetters - and not just in the apparel department. Being a part of such creativity inspired us to host a local fashion event to showcase Chicago's most innovative young minds."  

Starfruit's Fall Fashion Judges

Kevin Aeh is the Shopping and Style Editor of Time Out Chicago magazine, covering Chicago's shopping and fashion scene, spas, fitness and home decor. He has appeared on fashion segments for FOX, NBC, ABC and CBS. Aeh was recently profiled in Delta Sky magazine, where he talked about his favorite places in Chicago.

Erica Bethe Levin is the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of CheekyChicago.com. Levin is currently a correspondent for NBC, a freelancer for Jetsetter.com and the Midwest Casting Consultant for Backstage.com. Levin is a proud member of Northwestern University's Council of 100, a select group of 100 women across America who serve as mentors to NU students and young alum.

Jason Burdeen is a master jeweler who spent his childhood watching his father facet gemstones and hand-fabricate earrings and brooches for clients like Chicago news personalities, to national luxury powerhouse Neiman Marcus. For the past 15 years, this driven Jewelers of America- certified master bench jeweler has honed his hammering, hand chasing, filigree and burnishing techniques. He has devoted himself to the art, design and manufacture of high-end pieces, specializing in platinum, diamond and gold.

Borris Powell is a renowned Chicago-based designer and boutique owner. He was the winner of the prestigious Oscars Designer Challenge in 2011 and has received numerous local and national press features; including Lucky and Elle. Born in Alabama, the passionate designer developed his dreams of a career in fashion early on in life. Inspired by the masterful shapes of Christian Dior; Powell followed his dreams and moved to Chicago to start his design career in 1997. Over the following decade, at the consistent urge of his friends, he pursued his vision with an infectious entrepreneurial talent and creativity that has built him a devoted following of fans.

Jessica Zweig is the co-founder and Director of Sales and Marketing for CheekyChicago.com. Apart from her flourishing online entrepreneurial endeavors, Jessica keeps herself busy freelancing for UrbanDaddy.com, plans social events for the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago as a brand ambassador and is on-camera correspondent for NBC 5's new digital station "Chicago Non-Stop" covering food, nightlife and fashion.

About Starfruit Cafe

Launched in 2008, Starfruit Cafe, is an arm of Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY) - America's leading supplier of the cultured dairy products known as kefir and organic kefir. Made with delicious probiotic-filled Lifeway Kefir, Starfruit Cafe's frozen treats, custom parfaits and low-fat smoothies aid digestion, support immunity, promote weight loss, and help fight lactose intolerance. Frozen treat enthusiasts are free to create their own delicious frozen kefir masterpiece with plenty of healthy toppings from which to choose. For more information, visit www.starfruitcafe.com, call 312-527-3675, or join the Starfruit conversation at twitter.com/starfruitcafe or facebook.com/starfruitcafe.

Starfruit Cafe retail stores are located at 1745 W. Division in Wicker Park; 2142 N. Halsted in Lincoln Park; Block 37, Pedway Level, 108 N. State in Chicago's Loop; and in the Merchandise Mart at 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza. Starfruit frozen kefir is also served in the main concourse concession at Wrigley Field and in the Carousel ice cream shop at Ravinia.

Press Contact:
Joe Cutaia
k101 Agency | Chicago
e: [email protected]
o: 312.265.8373
c: 260.241.4818

SOURCE Lifeway Foods