Today was a super fun day of announcements for the Los Angeles Fashion Council, an organization of which I am Director.

We are so proud to announce our initial Advisory Board. Our advisory board is made up of passionate individuals from all walks of the fashion industry, and each will serve as a mentor to our designers and advise our executive team on key issues facing the industry in their individual fields. I'm seriously so honoured that these fantastic people believe in our project and humbled that I get to work alongside them.

Joining us from the British Fashion Council is Richard Johnson, former buying head at Harvey Nichols, who has just relocated to the US to become the Chief Operating Officer at Horiyoshi The Third, a Tokyo & LA based luxury fashion label. Richard will use his expertise and experience on the British Fashion Council to mentor our designers in the commercial and retail space.

Joining him are some of the most powerful women in fashion media on the West Coast; Marlien Rentmeester, West Coast Editor of Lucky Magazine, Jen Weinberg, West Coast Editor of Glamour magazine, N. Jayne Seward, Fashion Editor at California Apparel News, Brenna Egan, West Coast Editor of mega-site Refinery 29 and Erin Weinger, Founder and Editor of local site, Style Section L.A.
 
Additional advisors joining our board are Elaine Pow, best known for her visual merchandising work with Apple, currently the PR and Marketing Director at Seychelles and BC Shoes , Megyn Bell of Merchant Factors who will act as a Business Finance mentor and Sarah Pollack of Simply Stylist.

You can have a looksee at their full bios on our website here.

We're also able to announce our plans for October Presentations. Whilst we originally planned to avoid L.A Fashion Week in our first few years we realized that not only do L.A designers want to show in L.A but that L.A industry folk want a forum in which they can celebrate their work. Whatever we decided to had to make sense to our ideals and initiatives.

So, this October we will host a two day show case of the best in Los Angeles fashion design. Our show case will include runway shows, a show room and presentations from both apparel and accessory designer members of the Los Angeles Fashion Council.

Our presentation aims to be a low cost and high return opportunity for local designers who will show based on merit rather than available funds. Show case packages will cost no more than $1,000 and will include all production and marketing costs.

Designers wishing to be considered for the Council and our two day show case may apply through our website.

Sponsors, patrons and press interested in learning more about the Los Angeles Fashion Council and our upcoming initiatives may contact me directly with questions or to request our full deck:

Kelsi Smith: kelsi@losangelesfashioncouncil.org

Thanks so much for all your support and I can't wait to keep sharing our plans, goals and successes with you!

Kelsi xx