Runway | 2010 Supima Design Competition Fashion Show

(L-R) Media personality Katrina Zsish, model Marquita Pring, President of Supima Jesse Curly, model Coco Rocha and model Candice Huffine

By Yanni D

An open call last October at Bloomingdales resulted in six finalists for the Supima Design Competition 2010 hosted by Katrina Szish. Supima, the world’s luxury cotton corporation, has taken a vested interest in helping young designers grow which is why this is the third successful year they are hosting this event. The six finalists: Sachika, Michael Venker, Nadia Ivanova, Robin Tomas, Heber Sanchez, and Gina Desilva were given four weeks to produce a women’s evening wear look from top quality fabric incorporating Supima cotton. The three evening wear pieces were designed using three familiar fabric constructions: lustrous woven cotton, fine jersey, and sturdy denim and corduroys. In addition, to the required pieces each designer was asked to recreate the ultimate menswear basic T-shirt. The winning T-shirt, which was designed by Robin Tomas, will be sold in the Supima Collection at Bloomingdales which was launched last month.

The panel of judges consisted of respectable designers, fashion editors and Supima representatives. The designers were judged on originality, execution and ability to reinvent the Supima fiber. Gina Desilva, the winner of the Supima Design Competition 2010, was presented with the award by special guest Coco Rocha for executing this in the best way. Although, all the young designers had innovative, asymmetrical and well constructed pieces; such as the tiered dress with geometric bodice designed by Venker and the denim circle skirt cocktail dress designed by Sachicka. Desilva did a great job of integrating the Supima cotton fiber into ready to wear chic evening pieces. From the trumpet-skirt denim gown with a crop circular-cut ruffled jacket to the one-shoulder peplum waist corduroy gown each piece represented and reflected a woman’s body in a sexy, classy and modern way.

Congratulations to Gina Desilva for winning the Supima Design Competition 2010 and Robin Tomas for the winning Supima T-shirt.

Highlights from the show + the finale!

untagged images: Jemal Countess/Getty Images