L.A.-based Bristol named winner of Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion competition
Los Angeles-based men’s wear line Bristol has been named the winner of Gen Art’s 2017 Fresh Faces in Fashion one-year incubator program. The line, cofounded and designed by Luke Tadashi, will receive mentorship with a Gen Art designer alum who is yet to be named, inclusion in its Harvey Nichols retail program, gratis wholesale, marketing and public relations support along with financial investment and long-term strategic advice.
Gen Art’s Fresh annual Faces in Fashion event, held in Los Angeles last August, showcased four designers in addition to Bristol. The finalists were men’s wear line Elliott Evan, the women’s collection 34N 118W, jewelry line Legier and shoe brand Rafa.
The two-year-old Bristol wholesales in 10 retailers worldwide including American Rag, Revolve, Wish ATL, Maidens Shop Japan and Fred Segal. At last year’s New York event, Daniel Silverstain was awarded the prize. The event alternates between Los Angeles and New York.
Gen Art was one of the early innovators of the consumer-friendly fashion event, offering paying members and press access to its runway shows and presentations, and tickets on sale for film festival screenings. The Los Angeles Fresh Faces event was also open to the public via $50 general admission tickets. The next level of access comes with a $1,000 lifetime membership, which guarantees reserved seats, designer meet-and-greets and behind-the-scenes access at all events (a bargain compared to a VIP-pass to Coachella or Desert Trip). Since then, another New York-based design incubator and events company, Made, has planted a stake in Los Angeles.
Founded in 1995, the Fresh Faces program has singled out Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Phillip Lim, Duckie Brown and Rodarte over the years. The organization, now owned and run by former Gen Art staffer Keri Ingvarsson, has since also launched its own women’s fashion label, Openhouse and has a presence at the Capsule trade shows in New York and Las Vegas.
