Charleston Fashion Week Kicks Off Today

Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week 2013 ("CFW"), previously announced its full runway schedule to be held today, March 19 - 23, 2013 under the tents in Marion Square, Charleston, SC. Showcasing both established and emerging fashion designers, Charleston Fashion Week has become one of the premier fashion events in North America.

Each night, CFW will feature runway shows by five emerging designer contestants, select local retailers, and featured designers, headlined by Christian Siriano on Saturday March 23, 2013.

The 2013 full featured designer schedule is as follows:

In addition to the schedule above, twenty emerging designers will be competing throughout the week to make it to the finals on Saturday March 23, 2013 and be crowned the Grand Prize Winner. Competing for a prize package valued at over $20,000, the Emerging Designer Winner will be judged by a VIP Fashion Panel, headlined by Fern Mallis and including designer Brandon Sun, designer Johnson Hartig, designer Antonio Azzuolo, designer Christian Siriano, Scene magazine editor Peter Davis, as well as special celebrity guest judge and Grammy Award-winning entertainer, Ashanti!

Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week 2013 takes place today, March 19 - 23, 2013 in Charleston, SC. For more information on CFW, the full schedule and tickets, visit www.charlestonfashionweek.com. Find @ChasFashWeek on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Christian Siriano

Christian Siriano is known for whimsical and show-stopping design, from tailored ready-to-wear to fantasy evening gowns. The collection is shown on the runway twice a year in New York at New York Fashion Week and presented in New York and Paris to retailers. His designs have appeared in top fashion magazines such as ELLE and Vogue and have been donned on red carpets worldwide by the likes of Heidi Klum, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elizabeth Olsen, Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift, to name a few. For more information, visit www.chritianvsiriano.com.

About Johnson Hartig

Johnson Hartig's label, Libertine, has been a constant presence in the fashion industry for over a decade. Libertine's deconstructed looks, worldly influence, and revolutionary graphics caught early praise from Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, and John Galliano, then led to further collaborations with luminaries such as Damien Hirst and Goyard. Through his creative, artistic use of recycled fabric, Hartig paved the way for what has become known as ecologically friendly fashion. Libertine is carried by top retailers worldwide including Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Colette in Paris and Isetan in Japan. For more information, visit www.ilovelibertine.com.

About Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week

Charleston Fashion Week, in its seventh year, presents runway shows, interactive entertainment, chic after-parties, and press events. CFW has a focus on celebrating new talent and offers aspiring designers and models exposure and mentorship from fashion industry leaders. The 2013 event will be held under the tents in Marion Square in Charleston, SC, featuring more than 45 runway shows, the Spring Bridal Show, Emerging Designer Competition: East, and Rock the Runway Model Competition. Baker Motor Company Charleston Fashion Week 2013 is scheduled for March 19-23. charlestonfashionweek.com.