Fashion Star – AUCTION your Designs

For all aspiring designers who think it has become impossible to follow the dreams in this fierce competitions – there is light! With the tagline “Look at it today, wear it tomorrow”, NBC created a show where young designers can showcase their creations in front of the leading buy-officers. And for the impact to be maximized, several American VIPs are mentoring the designers: Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson and Elle MacPherson as show presenter.

Although the idea of these reality shows is not a novelty, the difference is that in Fashion Star the effects are immediate. After each episode, the chosen piece of clothing is already available through retailers. The process is simple. The buyer “jury” from Saks, Macy’s and H&M bid on the design and grant for it to be available online and in stores.

Here brands are involved directly in the show as channel activators and subsequent promotion of the product, so somehow the barrier between the commercial and TV show is removed. The TV is directly connected with the online environment, so that inevitably you end up looking up the products and even buy them.

I already found the H&M Fashion Star website promoting the first two products of the show, a jacket and the palazzo pants with prices between 20 and $ 50. Interestingly,  Saks also has a web-page dedicated to Fashion Star, but clothing prices here are in tune with the prices charged by U.S. retailer – $ 280 for a skirt made by a participant of the show. As for Macy’s, a dress sells for $99.