Independent Handbag Designer Awards

THE 2010 INDEPENDENT HANDBAG DESIGNER AWARDS APPLICATION

Handbag Designer 101 invites you to compete in the fourth annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards, the only handbag competition of its kind in the world. Win a chance to present your handbag at a high profile New York event at the Parsons The New School for Design and compete for one of eight Awards for Handbag Design Excellence, international recognition, a variety of coveted prizes and a chance to have your handbag go on marketing press tour.

To participate in the open call, you are required to upload one digital jpeg image (please read the tip sheet carefully) in any one or more of the following categories:

Best Student Made Handbag	Best Handmade Handbag
Most Socially Responsible Handbag	Best Green Handbag
Audience-Selected Handbag (based on Finalists selected)	Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design
Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements	New! Most Innovative Handbag Inspired by mark.

Submissions will be accepted from January 1st, 2010 until April 15, 2010. Please note you can apply to all categories but not the same category, twice.

The staff of Handbag Designer 101 will review all submissions at a Prescreening Event in late April. At this Prescreening, HB101 will choose five finalists in each category who will be judged on the merits of their submitted designs. All finalists will be invited to participate in the first annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards that will take place in June 16th, 2010 at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City.

Finalists must provide the handbag submitted in order to compete at the event (with no exception.) These bags and shoes will be presented in a static installation at the night of the event. Over 500 members of the fashion industry, including press and retailers, will attend the 20109 Independent Handbag Designer Awards. (Note: Finalists are responsible for their own transportation to the event and must have additional samples ready and available for press.)

A Fashion Panel of esteemed and influential handbag design professors, experts, editors, stylists, and buyers will judge the finalists' designs presented and select a winner from each category who will receive the Best in each respective category and determine who truly stands out as an Independent Handbag Designer. Prizes include an apprenticeship with famed designer, Carlos Falchi for Best Student Made Handbag; a creating a limited edition handbag and pattern for Singer Sewing Company and Coats and Clark for Best Handmade Handbag; receive a crystal sponsorship with free access to crystals and Swarovski know how, to produce a limited edition collection of the winner's bag, as well as the winning handbag will be featured in several CRYSTALLIZED™ channels and communication tools in the US and internationally with industry and end consumer exposure for Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements; have your bag reproduced and sold on the meetmark.com with a mark. designer feature as well for the newest category, Most Innovative Handbag Inspired by mark. by Avon, have a chance to collaborate with Timberland to develop a product for sale in its stores for Best Green Handbag; get the opportunity to have their bags featured on WorldofGood by eBay and gain exposure on a worldwide platform for Most Socially Responsible Handbag and the winning designer for Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design will not only create a limited edition bag under the kate spade new york brand name, have their bags sold at Saks Fifth Avenue but also receive a booth with full marketing and promotion (over $10,000 value) at WWDMAGIC, the 2010 Independent Handbag Designer Awards has truly become the most prolific accessory industry event of its kind.

More prizes to follow shortly so stay tuned...

kate spade new york:
kate spade was founded in 1993 with six simple handbags that shook up what had been a quiet accessories category. Fifteen years and a handbag revolution later, wit and playful sophistication are hallmarks of everything .kate spade.. under the creative direction of Deborah Lloyd, the kate spade new york's exuberant approach to the everyday is evident in every category - a world that now includes bags for day and night, totes and luggage, apparel, shoes, jewelry, stationery, eyewear, and a home collection made up of chic pieces for the table and unique gifts. a strong sense of personal style and a passion for color set the tone for each kate spade new york collection. kate spade new york continues to find inspiration in the everyday and the unpredictably elegant, bringing a graceful, exuberant approach to style and living which is why it is the ICONOCLAST Recipient for the 2010 IHDA.

Qualifications per Category:

Best Student Made Handbag:
Students who have successfully started their lines while still in school

- Currently attending high school or university
- Bags must be under student designer's own label
- Major in Design is Optional
- Majoring in Design at the Graduate level is not applicable

Best Handmade Handbag:
Sewn, crocheted, knit or any other material where the designer is still making their bag by hand

- Bags must be made by you by machine or hand
- Bags must be under designer's own label
- Mass manufacturing on any level is not applicable

Most Socially Responsible Handbag:
Bags that are made in a country where the proceeds are given back to the country of manufacturing or people of economically-torn country are employed to manufacture handbags

- Bags must be made in country where portion of the proceeds are given back to that country of manufacturing
- Bags must be under designer's own label
- Bags must be made by country that employs local communities to create jobs and work in destitute countries or regions
- Bags made in countries of war-torn regions or disaster areas

Best Green Handbag:
Bags that are made out of sustainable, recycled or organic materials.

- Bags should be made from 100% organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or other raw materials, OR 100% recycled materials (could be recycled cloth, recycled soda bottles, recycled vinyl, etc.), OR one of the new corn-based fibers, or in some combination.
- All the components - metal zippers, buttons, clasps, snaps should be made from recycled metal or reused pieces.
- The bag should be completely recyclable at the end of its life.
- Any dyed fabric should be done with a nontoxic dye that doesn't use toxic fixing agents.

Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements

- Bags must incorporate CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements
- Sketches must include the silhouette type and which materials (e.g. lambskin leather, suede, PVC, canvas, etc.) and CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements used.
- Please be as detailed as possible including measurements, prospective swatches, hardware, embellishment and color palette where applicable.

The CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements collection of crystal stones and semi-finished products along with color charts and application instructions will be available as download via Swarovski's website WWW.SWAROVSKI.COM/CRYSTALLIZED (Login with username: crystallized.affiliate@swarovski.com - Password: YV:9/u7a or alternatively, use this Direct Login link).

New! Most Innovative Handbag Inspired by mark.

- Must demonstrate a unique approach to handbag design showing innovation and creativity that has not been seen before
- Submissions must be highly innovative and include multi-purpose features that serve dual functions and include elements of customization and individualization
- For more information and inspiration go to www.meetmark.com.

Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design:
Best executed handbag overall in style and design

- Bags must be under designer's own label
- Bags must be unique in their overall style and design

Audience-Selected Handbag:
*Handbag designer selected by Handbag Designer 101 readers based on finalists in every category.

- Bag voted by most loyal bag owners of independent handbag label
- Bags voted must be under designer's own label
- Voters cannot vote more than one time or else will be disqualified

Deadline: All entries must be received by 11:59pm on April 15th, 2010
Entries submitted without full information filled out will be disqualified.

To register: click here.

WE CANNOT CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ENTRIES UNTIL ALL ENTRIES HAVE BEEN PROCESSED.

Past events:

The 3rd Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards (2009)
The 2nd Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards (2008)
The 1st Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards (2007)

Submit your application here