AMANDA VALENTINE | Valentine Valentine
Amanda Valentine | Nashville, TN
‘17 | ‘16 | ‘15 | ‘12 | ‘11
Amanda Valentine is a women's ready-to-wear collection created by designer and stylist Amanda Valentine. Amanda competed on Project Runway (Seasons 11 and 13) and has been voted "Nashville's Best Fashion Designer" by readers of the Nashville Scene for the last four years.
While creating collections, Amanda styles wardrobe for numerous rock bands including Twenty One Pilots and infuses her women’s line with edge - and always ease. Bold prints, dramatic color blocking and exaggerated silhouettes make an appearance each collection.
amy.b.
Amy Breen | Nashville, TN
2012
Amy Breen’s first original design (when she was just 9) was a neon striped bathing suit. She grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Moore College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fashion Design and Textiles. She spent a semester at Parsons Paris, spent time working in New York for Nanette Lepore, and traveled to Australia for designer Aurelio Costarella. Amy moved to Nashville and launched amy.b. design as a harmonious mix of comfort and style.
Black by Maria Silver
Maria (Poni) Silver | Nashville, TN
‘18 | ‘15 | ‘14 | ‘13 | ‘12
2017 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Recipient
2016 Fashion Forward Rising Star Award
Designer Maria Silver graduated from F.I.T. (NYC) in women's contemporary clothing and costume design. After working on Broadway, also in NYC and LA as a design assistant, and touring the world drumming for cult rock band The Ettes, she founded her fashion line, Black By Maria Silver, in 2011. BBMS has been featured in Nylon, Bust, Refinery 29, StyleBlueprint, Elle, and others. More recently, Silver designed for the critically acclaimed Nashville Ballet production 7 Deadly Sins, and in 2017, opened her first BBMS storefront in East Nashville.
Brittany Blair
Brittany Blair | Nashville, TN
2012
Nashvillian Brittany Blair is an apparel design graduate from the University of Alabama. She interned in New York with designer Catherine Malandrino, showed her first full collection for the Fall 2010 fashion show at the University of Alabama, and participated in the first annual Birmingham Fashion Week.
by Smith
Smith Sinrod | New York, NY
2012
presented by Cotton Mill
Smith Sinrod launched by SMITH two years ago as a collection of sophisticated, chic apparel for women, characterized by its use of Thai silk. After showing at the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion event in 2010, the Miami New Times called her work “the hit of the show.” Last year, Smith moved to New York from Atlanta, and her collection is carried in contemporary specialty stores worldwide.
EVA FRANCO
Eva Frajko | Los Angeles, CA
2012
presented by Plucky
Eva Franco is a fashion line that is unforgettable – at once divinely feminine and classic pieces for all occasions. Born and raised in Transylvania, Romania, of Hungarian heritage, Eva’s passion for designing helped her express herself after she moved to the United States as a young girl. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Eva moved to Paris and continued her education. The brand is now in over 1000 stores domestically and internationally. Eva is proud that all of her clothing is made in Los Angeles, where the company is based.
G-STAR RAW
2012
presented by Posh Boutique
From its conception in 1989, G-Star has been known for its innovative and cutting edge style in the world of denim. Pushing the boundaries, continuous experimentation, and product development have led to a strong following worldwide. The rough, rudimentary and raw characteristics of the brand allow G-Star to maintain its distinct and unorthodox styles. The concentration on craftsmanship and innovation continues today, through the evolution of G-Star denim silhouettes and the adoption of architectural 3D design and jean construction. G-Star leads the world of 3D denim with the evolution from the articulated knee of the Elwood (5620) to the twisted-leg architecture of the arc pant.
JAMIE AND THE JONES
Jamie Frazier & Hannah Jones | Nashville, TN
2012 | 2011
Jamie and the Jones is the brainchild of Nashville designers Jamie Frazier and Hannah Jones. Their collective skill (knitting, crochet, embroidery, beading, and hand painting are all hallmarks)
earned them the Belcourt Theatre’s 2011 nD emerging designer competition and participation in the first-ever Nashville Fashion Week. They have been featured in publications including Nylon and Elle.com and continue to produce their line from their studio inside Local Honey, Nashville’s premiere source for local design.
JULIANNA BASS
Julianna Bass | New York, NY
‘18 | ‘16 | ‘12 | ‘11
2011 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Recipient
Julianna Bass is an American Fashion Designer who debuted her eponymous womenswear collection during New York Fashion with a AW15 runway presentation. Since the collection’s debut, Julianna Bass has received accolades from prominent U.S. and International publications including Vogue (Germany and U.S.), Women’s Wear Daily, and New York Magazine. Bass is a Tennessee native who moved to New York to study fashion and costume design at the Fashion Institute of Technology after completing her design studies at Middle Tennessee State University.
KAL RIEMAN
Cally Rieman | New York, NY
2013 | 2012
presented by WONDERMODE.com (in 2012)
“Cally” Rieman began working in fashion as an apprentice for Jean Charles de Castelbajac in Paris. She moved to New York in 2002 where she mastered her knowledge in men’s tailoring as a designer for Hil ger’s H men’s line. Having admired the strength and simplicity of menswear, Cally wanted to create a collection that achieved that same sophisticated, effortless dressing for women. Her collection is marked by the breadth of her experience, “tough and chic, austerity without pretense; clothing for women that embodies the grace and ease that makes menswear so powerful.”
KATHERINE KIDD
Katherine Kidd | Los Angeles, CA
2012 | 2011
presented by Gus Mayer
Striking a balance between the era of 40s and 50s glamour with today’s sophisticated female, Kidd’s designs capture a feminine aesthetic that exudes both old world chic and modern day freshness.
Kidd was raised in the South, but spent summers in Paris. After launching her eponymous label in 2010, Katharine quickly became a red carpet favorite, dressing the likes of Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams, Kate Beckinsale, Lea Michele, and Emmy Rossum to name a few. Kidd’s designs can be found in high end boutiques across the world as well as her first namesake store that recently opened in Los Angeles.
Leona
Lauren Leonard Phelps | Nashville, TN
‘14 | ‘13 | ‘12 | ‘11
2012 Nashville Fashion Forward Fund Recipient
LEONA launched in 2008 and is designed by Lauren Leonard. The collection is comprised of luxury wardrobe essentials for the modern woman. In 2013, Leonard was selected as the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund recipient. LEONA holds offices in Nashville, TN and New York, NY, as well as a retail store in Nashville’s 12 South District.
MAGID BERNARD
Magid & Michele Bernard | Los Angeles, CA
2012
Magid and Michele Bernard are the husband and wife design team of the luxury fashion house, Magid Bernard. The label is known for its clean lines and timeless designs with a twist. Their astonishingly engineered bias-cut dresses, French laces, and hand-embroidered fabrics are favorites among an international clientele. Magid Bernard’s showroom and atelier is in the prestigious New Mart Building, in Los Angeles’ Fashion District, where every piece is made under the Bernards’ watchful eye.
Truly Alvarenga | Pink Elephants
Truly Alvarenga | Nashville, TN
‘19 | ‘18 | ‘17 | ‘16 | ‘15 | ‘14 | ‘13 | ‘12
Truly Alvarenga is known primarily for her one-of-a-kind Couture Garments, wielding an aesthetic that is both florid and unique. Admirers of her style appreciate both the meticulous craftsmanship and the colorful stories that accompany the collections.
RANDI RAHM
Randi Rahm | New York
2012
Intricate detail and exquisite quality are the trademarks of couture designer Randi Rahm, whose hand-beaded creations have graced the pages of major magazines and illuminated red carpets worldwide. Her designs have drawn rave reviews from fashion aficionados coast to coast, including Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Underwood, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Catherine Zeta Jones, Faith Hill, Julianne Hough and Halle Berry.
RED DOLL
Tatyana Merenyuk | Brooklyn, NY
2013 | 2012
Red Doll designs are classic styles with a modern twist. The line is inspired by elegant, fun and timeless women, that are found everywhere from the streets of New York City to family, friends, movies and much more. Tatyana lives in New York City, pursuing her dream of being a designer and creating beautiful clothing.
Tatyana Merenyuk grew up in the Ukraine, and from an early age, she showed a colorful taste for fashion. Merenyuk started designing her first collection in 2008, and just one year later was honored by Gen Art Chicago as one of 2009’s Fresh Faces in Fashion. Merenyuk has since moved to New York to put her line into production, but returned to Chicago last fall to participate in Fashion Focus Chicago.
SHEA STEELE | White Rabbit
Shea Steele | Nashville, TN
‘19 | ‘18 | ‘17 | ‘12 | ‘11
A Tennessee native currently based in New York, Steele is a textile designer whose collections fuse striking prints, intricate embellishments, and bold color combinations into an exciting juxtaposition of punk and polish.
SJOBECK
Garrett Gerson & Jesse Ray Vasquez | Malibu, CA
2012
Best friends Jesse Ray Vasquez and Garrett Gerson are the creators of Sjobeck. Vaquez, who was originally on track to attend law school, found his true calling in fashion when he learned the process of how things are made. Gerson got his start by designing uniforms for employees of the Malibu ranch of his great grandparents. Together, they work to embody Sjobeck with the essence of “Old Malibu” style. Their brand has been described as a fresh and edgy take on Malibu luxury.
SYLVIA HEISEL
Sylvia Heisel | New York, NY
2012 | 2011
Heisel’s clothes embody both classic luxury and high-style global modernism. Sumptuous raw silks in her line, often in acid colors, align with vintage upholstery fabrics, startlingly futuristic textures and ornaments, and other surprises.
T. RAINS
Traver Rains | Los Angeles, CA
2013 | 2012 | 2011
Traver Rains, formerly of Heatherette, recently took some time off to work on his photography, and is now debuting his new line, T. Rains, his cool collection of silkscreened tees, tanks, and hoodies. In keeping with his cowboy style, the collection has a retro western feel, employing 60s pop art and images from his own photography.
Traver Rains, former co-creator of infamous fashion brand Heatherette, has since started his own line, T. Rains. The brand features a wide range of designs from silk-screened tank tops and t-shirts to custom couture dresses. His new line is a combination of influences of his Western roots as a 5th generation horse rancher and his many years of living and designing in NYC.
TRUNK
Abigail Franklin & Kyah Hillis | Nashville, TN
2012
Abigail Franklin and Kyah Hillis have joined forces to launch Trunk, an alternative retail space. Trunk is the first mobile fashion and accessories boutique in the Southeast and one of the first in the country. Franklin owns the men’s fashion collection State, and Hillis owns Sleeveless, a premium accessory brand that specializes in leather goods for women.
TUFT
Jessica Jones | Nashville, TN
2013 | 2012
Growing up in the grunge-laden 90s and being a teenager in the bubblegum pop 2000s has made Jessica Jones’ influences an interesting mix of ugly and pretty. Jessica came to terms with this visual juxtaposition by creating her brand, TUFT. The line has a laid back sensibility paired with classic silhouettes in bright hues and bold patterns.
WAI MING
Emily Brady Koplar | Saint Louis & New York
2012
Emily Brady Koplar is the designer behind the fresh and effortlessly chic line, Wai Ming. Wai Ming is inspired by Emily’s multi-cultural background, global travel, and study of art, architecture and street style. Koplar worked at Ralph Lauren while studying in Paris, and later moved to New York where she graduated from Parsons School of Design. She honed her skills at Vivienne Tam, The May Company and Aeropostale while also designing one-of-a-kind, special occasion dresses. She currently divides her time between St. Louis and New York.
VERSACE COLLECTION
2012
presented by Levy's
Part of the legendary Versace brand founded over 40 years ago by Gianni Versace, the Versace Collection traces its origins to 1991 with a range initially intended exclusively for men. Under the creative and stylistic direction of Donatella Versace, the Versace Collection for women launched in 2012. Longtime local Nashville clothier Levy’s, in business for 157 years and one of Nashville’s first fashion clothiers, is presenting the Versace Men’s and Women’s Collections for 2012.
ZANG TOI
Zang Toi | New York, NY
2012
presented by Gus Mayer
Toi was born and raised in Malaysia. He studied at Parsons in New York, and in 1989, opened his atelier. A year later, he was featured in Vogue. He has dressed celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Elizabeth Taylor, Farrah Fawcett, Kristie Alley, Patti LaBelle, Gong Li, Eva Longoria, Fergie and Heather Graham—and has also created luxurious wardrobes for renowned philanthropists and royalty. He has been an avid philanthropist himself, raising $700,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG).
Headshots and bios were provided by designers in the year that they last showed. Runway photographs were provided by our Official Nashville Fashion Week Photographers - Doug Barry, Heather Byrd, Andy Evinger, Daniel Perry Studios, Taylor Christian Jones, Ryan Mclemore, Alaina K. Mullin, Gerry Navarrette and Eric Winton.