Press Release:
O’NEILL’S 4th ANNUAL “GENERATION NEXT” IN ASSOCIATION WITH TEEN VOGUE ANNOUNCES FIRST CO-WINNERS, CELEBRATES WITH SUPERMODEL ELYSE TAYLOR, HOST LOUISE ROE & LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE BY EVEREST
First-Ever Co-Grand Prize Winners, Grace An from Murietta, CA and Nahal Yashar from Beverly Hills, awarded internship at O’Neill, $5,000 scholarship, exposure in Teen Vogue, O’Neill wardrobe and designs to be included in upcoming O’Neill Girls collection
Irvine, CA (October 17, 2011) – O’Neill’s 4th Annual “Generation Next fashion and music event in association with Teen Vogue brought down the house at Avalon Hollywood Saturday night in front of a sold- out crowd of 1,200 guests, celebrities and fashion influencers.
Hosted by television presenter and fashion industry insider, Louise Roe, the event concluded an eight-month program based at O’Neill headquarters in Irvine, Calif., where five local Southern California student finalists created an original dress and handbag design with the help of O’Neill mentors.
International Supermodel and O’Neill brand ambassador Elyse Taylor modeled their designs on the runway, alongside the O’Neill Girls Spring 2012 collection. A live performance by Everest (Warner Bros. Records/Vapor Records) got everyone on their feet while votes were tallied.
In an unexpected twist, both Grace An from Murietta, CA and Nahal Yashar from Beverly Hills received the same amount of votes, awarding both designers the grand prize, which includes an internship at O’Neill, $5,000 scholarship, exposure in Teen Vogue, an O’Neill wardrobe — AND their winning look included in an upcoming O’Neill Girls collection.
Other finalists in the 2011 Generation Next program included Ashley Wong (Hacienda Heights), Jody Lee (Agoura) and Madeline Hartnett (Fullerton).
Streamed live on O’Neill’s Facebook page for fans around the world, each designer was introduced by a short video documenting their experience in the program, and explaining the inspiration for their design.
From a Rio inspired mini dress with fringe to a bohemian maxi dress, each finalist put her own unique touch on the latest trends for Spring. Winner Nahal won for her poly crepe printed deep v- neck dress with flowing sleeves, cut out back and fringe trim detail.
Second winner Grace brought “funky” to a new level by sewing together a top and skirt to create a unique and unexpected look. The finished piece: a sleeveless blouse in a yarn dye stripe, with a sheer, mid-length ditsy printed mini skirt layered underneath.
“This was such an amazing night for all the finalists, their friends and family, we couldn’t be more proud of all those involved,” said Kari Johnson, vice president of design and marketing for O’Neill Girls.
“Congratulations to both Grace and Nahal for winning the grand prize and officially joining the O’Neill Girls team, we are proud to take them under our wing for the next year.”
“It has been another great year for O’Neill’s Generation Next program as we celebrate the designers of tomorrow,” added Toby Bost, CEO of O’Neill Clothing.
“O’Neill has always been about looking to the future and recognizing innovation within our industry. Each year, I’m so impressed by what these girls come up with and their sense of style at such a young age.”
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In addition to her television work in the U.S. and U.K., the evening’s host also writes a style column for MSN News, called ‘Front Roe,’ and has written for ELLE, Vogue.com, In Style, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and was just announced as the new fashion columnist for one of the UK’s most popular glossy magazines, Company.
Roe was a cast member on MTV’s hit show, “The City,” and most recently served as co-host for MTV International’s red carpet coverage of the 2011 Movie Awards, VMA’s and EMA’s; and E!’s live coverage of the Royal Wedding.
She has also been a guest host or judge on Britain’s Next Top Model, The Nate Berkus Show, GMTV, Project Catwalk, Style Network’s How Do I Look, 10 Things I Hate About Me, and Make Me a Supermodel.
To further expand Generation Next’s online audience this year, O’Neill teamed up with entertainment news site, HOLLYWIRE, to feature exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews and video footage from the various steps leading up to the runway show.
Readers can see what the design process is all about, learn about the finalists, and get a comprehensive view of their final looks at www.hollywire.com.
For additional information and to watch a recap of the show, please visit https://www.facebook.com/oneillgirls.
About O’Neill Girls
O’Neill Girls is dedicated to and inspired by the adventurous and free-spirited young female. Driven by O’Neill’s heritage as the original California surf brand since 1952, O’Neill Girls stays true to its roots, while offering a unique fashion perspective that is modern and fresh. Featuring a range of styles for all seasons both on and off the beach, O’Neill Girls includes a blend of effortlessly cool prints, dresses, tees, denim, fleece, jackets, accessories, swimwear and wetsuits.
Featured in hundreds of magazines and available in more than 85 countries around the world, O’Neill Girls reflects its personality through innovative collections, signature events, and exceptional athletes. With talented team riders including surfers Malia Manuel and Sage Erikson, the brand continues to push the envelope of performance and is committed to providing today’s most advanced and authentic youth lifestyle products.
Connecting fashion, surf and youth culture, O’Neill Girls introduced “Generation Next” in 2008 with TEEN VOGUE, an annual high school design program to foster tomorrow’s fashion talents and create inspiration for future product lines. For more information, visit www.oneillgirls.com and www.facebook.com/oneillgirls.
About TEEN VOGUE
TEEN VOGUE—a publication of Condé Nast, a division of Advance Publications, which operates in 25 countries—is the number one source of fashion and beauty news for style-conscious teens and 20-somethings everywhere. In the United States, Condé Nast publishes eighteen consumer magazines, two trade publications, and 27 websites that garner international acclaim and unparalleled consumer engagement. The TEEN VOGUE brand brings the sophistication and authority of VOGUE to a new generation of savvy young women who desire to be on the cutting edge of fashion, beauty, and culture. Launched in February 2003, TEEN VOGUE publishes ten issues a year and has a circulation of more than 1 million readers.
