ATLANTA — May 26, 2016 — Lectra is pleased to announce the winners of the Lectra/JCPenney (JCP) Fashion Design Contest, held recently at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York.
Lectra and JCPenney organized the contest to support FIT in its mission to prepare its design students for careers in the fashion industry by giving them a chance to work on real-world projects and providing exposure for their designs. Fashion design students chose from one of JCPenney’s exclusive, private brands, including Worthington®, St. John’s Bay®, Stylus®, and Decree®, and created a collection using Lectra’s Kaledo® textile and fashion design solution, based on the brand’s positioning and its customer profile.
“A key element of our success at JCPenney is tied to the choices we provide our customers through our exclusive private brands. Each brand tells a story, and we rely on our textile design teams to make sure each story is distinct and will resonate with the target consumer. We are impressed with how well the students in the competition understood this,” says Nathan Laffin, JCPenney Vice President, Brand Trend Design, Womens. “We are always on the lookout for young designers who can bring something new to the table and this competition has been a perfect opportunity for us to discover some up-and-coming talent. It is also a huge plus that FIT students are trained in Kaledo, as we use the Lectra suite of products to create prints that keep customers loyal to our brands.”
Cagla Ertan took first place in the competition, winning an eight-month internship at JCPenney’s SOHO design studio starting in September, along with a complimentary Kaledo license. Ertan created original designs, prints, and color palettes for Decree, JCPenney’s brand for juniors with a sophisticated point of view. The judges felt that Cagla’s collection best embodied the brand’s DNA.
Second-place winner, Kevin Tung, and third-place winner, Cemile Simsek, were also awarded Kaledo licenses. Tung and Simsek’s collections both showcased strong original styles and prints.
“In this competitive industry, it is an advantage to have experience using industry tools that simplify the creative process and bring ideas to life quickly and easily,” says Gerard Dellova, FIT Adjunct Assistant Professor and contest coordinator. “Our goal is to provide our students with skills that make them more marketable when it comes to finding a design job. This experience has given them a taste of what it’s like to come up with new styles in an actual retail design setting.”
FIT and Lectra have been partnering together for more than 25 years; both believe in the importance of educational initiatives that put students in direct contact with real-world businesses.
“Lectra is committed to the development and training of future fashion professionals, and the company has actively supported education over the years by providing schools with its technologies and expertise,” says Jason Adams, President, Lectra North America, “This competition is an important example of the partnership that exists between the company and its education and industry partners, such as FIT and JCPenney.”
Posted May 26, 2016
Source: Lectra
