Press Release:
THE 5TH ANNUAL O’NEILL GENERATION NEXT EVENT, PRESENTED BY TEEN VOGUE, TO TAKE PLACE IN SAN FRANCISCO ON NOVEMBER 3rd
TV Host, Louise Roe, to Host Event Featuring Celebrity Designed Neoprene Swimwear by Lauren Conrad, Marisa Miller and more.
IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 16, 2012- O’Neill, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand for 60 years, is proud to announce the 5th annual Generation Next design competition and music event, presented by TEEN VOGUE.
Previously held in Southern California, this year’s event will take place near Jack O’Neill’s hometown, at The Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center, on Saturday, November 3rd at 7:00pm. The night will feature fashion and red carpet personality Louise Roe as host, along with one-of-a-kind O’Neill neoprene swimwear designed by Lauren Conrad, Marisa Miller, Jordana Brewster, A.J. Cook, and Leven Rambin.
Music will be provided by New York based entertainer, DJ Sinatra. Tickets are on sale now at https://gennext2012.simpletix.com for $10 in advance online or $15 at the door.
O’Neill Generation Next, presented by TEEN VOGUE, launched in February of this year with hundreds of initial online submissions. The selection was then narrowed down by O’Neill and TEEN VOGUE to five finalists: Rachel Frost, an Encinal High freshman from Alameda; Taylor Schultz, a Presentation High junior from San Jose; Heidi Peinthor, a Bear River High freshman from Auburn; Sidney Budlie, a San Ramon Valley High freshman from Danville; and Madelynn Prendergast, a freshman from Oakland attending The Head Royce School.
The five finalists were mentored by O’Neill designers to create a look inspired by a previous decade in the company’s history: 1950’s (Rachel Frost), 1960’s (Taylor Schultz), 1970’s (Heidi Peinthor), 1980’s (Sidney Budlie), 1990’s (Madelynn Prendergast).
The finalists will debut their original designs on the runway in conjunction with an O’Neill Swim fashion show featuring international supermodel and brand ambassador, Elyse Taylor. Paul Mitchell®, the leading professional hair care brand for over 30 years, will provide all hair and makeup for each runway show.
In addition to the competition, the five celebrity designed neoprene suits will be auctioned off online, with 100% of the proceeds going to a charity of the guest designer’s choice. The auction and neoprene swimwear designs are in honor of O’Neill’s 60th anniversary and Jack O’Neill’s invention of the wetsuit.
“Five years ago, in partnership with TEEN VOGUE, we created the Generation Next program to provide a platform for high school students to make their design dreams a reality, and to inspire them to pursue a career in fashion,” said Kari Johnson, Vice President of Design and Marketing for O’Neill Girls.
“We are so honored to be celebrating our 60-year heritage, while showcasing the talent of our young finalists.”
“Each year, I’m so impressed with the young talent that is groomed through the Generation Next program,” added Toby Bost, CEO of O’Neill Clothing.
“This year we brought the program to San Francisco, Jack O’Neill’s hometown, in celebration of O’Neill’s 60 year anniversary. It’s great to celebrate the designers of tomorrow and to have O’Neill nurture and help build the design dreams of our youth.”
Each 2012 Generation Next participant is competing for a Grand Prize package, which includes:
-$5,000 scholarship
-O’Neill wardrobe and design internship
-Exposure in TEEN VOGUE
-Winning design to be incorporated into the O’Neill collection
The Grand Prize winner will be determined by a combination of text message votes from the audience and webcast viewers on the evening of the event, and judges from O’Neill and
TEEN VOGUE. Judging criteria this year contains seven categories, including Display of Talent and Design, Leadership Abilities, and Passion and Enthusiasm.
The Generation Next program provides aspiring designers with the tools and expertise to bring their designs to life by teaching the f undamentals and execution of apparel and graphic design, merchandising, manufacturing and marketing. In addition to working with an O’Neill mentor on a runway look, each finalist is tasked with building a group of peers to assist with promotional activities, model castings, runway production, and overall vibe for their piece of the final event.
The 5th Annual O’Neill Generation Next event, presented by TEEN VOGUE, will be streamed live on O’Neill’s Facebook fan page, www.facebook.com/oneillgirls . For additional information, please visit www.oneillgirls.com.
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 Erickson, 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.
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.
