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Harriett’s Park Avenue Fashion Week
(HPAFW), Central Florida’s most comprehensive annual fashion event, is looking for
design students, fashion aficionados and anyone else who has what it takes to enter the
HPAFW Emerging Designer Contest. Contestants must submit three to five finished
looks plus photos or sketches of additional designs to form a 10-look collection by
August 29, 2011. At least five semi-finalists will be chosen by a panel, which includes
local fashion legacy and title sponsor, Harriett Lake, 2010 HPAFW Emerging Designer
winner, Maria Roman, plus fashion stylists, fashion editors and high-end fashion
retailers. Once notified, semi-finalists will have two weeks complete an additional look
for a charity-related “Project Runway” type challenge. From the semi-finalists three
finalists will be selected. Finalists’ final collections will be styled in individual editorial
photo shoots provided by HPAFW. One winner will be chosen from the finalists. On the
night of the HPAFW fashion show, finalists will appear in a video featuring personal
interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from the photo shoots. The previously
determined winner will be revealed at HPAFW 2011 with his or her own personal runway
show. The winner’s photo shoot will appear in an Orlando publication. They will also
receive two VIP tickets, professional photographs of their runway show and the
opportunity to carry their line in a boutique participating in HPAFW for one month,
accompanied by a trunk show.
 Download Application Here!
Download Talent Release Here!
We're proud to announce the Emerging Designer Committee Judges for 2011!
 Tuni Blackwelder has been in the fashion industry as long as she can remember. As her parents were clothing manufacturers, she found herself in the midst of rows of sewing machines, bolts of fabrics, containers of buttons and spools of thread. The Garment District in NYC was her playground. She moved to Central Florida and quickly became part of a retail family, experiencing fashion from the other side. She has co-owned a junior department store, mens stores and shoe stores while raising five daughters and volunteering with Junior League, Miss Florida Scholarship Pageant, Orange County Public Schools and the School Board and St. Margaret Mary. Tuni and her daughter Paige opened Tuni on Park Avenue 25 years ago. Tuni is credited with being the first to bring the newest fashions and the latest trends to Park Avenue and has won several “Best Of” awards from many magazines and was nominated for Florida Retailer of the Year. Although traveling to markets in cities like New York, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Los Angeles about six times a year, Tuni’s favorite travel destination is Italy. She finds time to volunteer with the American Heart Association as a member of the Circle of Red, the Park Avenue Area Association and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.
 Sabrina James’ passion for writing and fashion led her to a career in publishing that began in 2007 when she served as editor in chief for the Orlando-based parenting lifestyle publication Playground. In 2009 she left the magazine to join Bonnier Corporation as lifestyle editor and stylist for Babytalk magazine, a national publication for new parents reaching more than 5 million readers. Recently Sabrina has expanded her role to become the style editor for The Parenting Group, which encompasses both Parenting and Babytalk magazines where she creates editorial content as it relates to décor, fashion and product as well as concept and style photo shoots for both adults and children. Sabrina and her husband Derek of nine years, reside in Baldwin Park with their 5-year-old daughter Kaia.
 Tammara Kohler, owner of Fused Fashion, is one of Orlando's most sought after wardrobe stylists and fashion event producers. Providing fresh perspective and modern style to national and international campaigns, Tammara’s sense of trend coupled with her edgy approach keeps her on the forefront of fashion. Tammara’s talents thrive in the arena of fashion production, wardrobe styling and personal shopping. In addition to highly recognizable ad campaigns, her work has been featured in local and national magazines and at luxury retailer events hosted by Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dior and Jimmy Choo. Tammara remains active in the community serving on committees for Give Kids the World and the Dr. Phillips Center. She is also the mother of two adorable children, Isaac and Selah, and resides in the Central Florida metropolitan area.
 Kristina Mackinder, a Detroit native, moved to Central Florida when her marketing career with Ford Motor Company led her to their Orlando regional office. Kristina worked with Ford for over 12 years before leaving the company to assist at Eyes & Optics, the retail optical boutique co-owned by her husband Dr. Phillip Mackinder. Since then she has enjoyed traveling to New York, Paris and Milan to tour eyeglass factories and buy eyewear for the store. Kristina is also the fashion writer and stylist for The Park Press and has been a contributing writer for Orlando Style magazine and Winter Park magazine. Kristina, who holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Michigan State University and an MBA in international business from Rollins College, lives in Winter Park with her husband and their two children, Charlie and Martina. Kristina is serving as the Emerging Designer Committee chairperson for the third consecutive year.
 Melanie Pace is a wardrobe stylist and personal shopper born and raised in Orlando. She has a degree in both fashion merchandising and business from Florida State University. Melanie's first step into the fashion industry was with Anthropologie. After one year, Melanie decided to start her own styling and wardrobe consulting business in 2006. Melanie's work includes wardrobe stylist for E! with Giuliana Rancic, emcee for Pair to Remember Luncheon, guest appearances on iVillage Live, Fox 35, Daily Buzz, Jacksonville 4, NBC 6’s South Florida Today, Channel 13 on Demand, M magazine, The Mall at Millenia Fashion Week stylist and personal shopper, Winter Park magazine’s fashion editor, Bloomingdale's fashion show stylist in New York and Orlando, emcee and speaker for packing seminars, Bone Fish Grill lifestyle stylist, Oxford Republic, Hammock Beach and Reunion Resort stylist, Neiman Marcus event stylist, PGA Ryder Cup 2006 stylist, Orlando Style magazine, Orlando magazine's O-Town Originals, fashion production and wardrobe coordinating for fashion shows, and guest speaker at corporate events on how to dress successfully in the workplace.
Shelley Preston is a contributing writer, editor and stylist to Orlando magazine, Orlando Wedding and Where travel publications throughout Florida. She has styled many of the magazines' covers and editorial fashion spreads over the last five years. Shelley has covered several New York Fashion Weeks as a reporter for regional newspapers and magazines since graduating from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York in 2002. A Colorado native with a case of wanderlust, Shelley has worked in radio, online media and print in Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York before calling Central Florida home. Her husband James reports on space news for Florida Today. They welcomed their first daughter, Thayer, to the family last year.
 Maria Roman, a local fashion and jewelry designer, holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Pontificia University in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and professional modeling from Fontecha Academy. She started her fashion career studying fashion design at Centro Moda in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After establishing herself as a premier designer of fashion accessories in Puerto Rico, Maria moved to Florida to take care of her family and start her own business. Between 2005 and 2010, Maria participated in several fashion shows including: the Novel Fashion Group Show, Orlando Fashion and Beauty Show, Discover Your Beauty Fashion Show, 25th Anniversary of the Pan-American Medical Association in Altamonte Springs, the Hispanic Association of Professional and Business Women Fashion Show, Florida Hospital’s annual Celebrity Stroll, Puerto Rico High Fashion Week, Euphoria Fashion Show, Big Casting Competition, Top Model Competition and Le Boutique at the Gallery. In 2010, she won the Emerging Designer Competition at Harriet’s Park Avenue Fashion Week in Winter Park. She has been interviewed, quoted, photographed and chronicled in many print and Internet publications in Florida and Puerto Rico. She is a regular contributor to several Spanish-language radio shows in Orlando. In 2011 Maria and her son, Esteban, were chosen to be the ambassador family for the Osceola March of Dimes fund raising drive.
Photographs by 
2010 Emerging Designer Contest Page |
