On the heels of Lifetime’s success with its Emmy® Award nominated Project Runway, the network has picked up the all-new unscripted competition series 24 Hour Catwalk, it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks.
Hosted by television personality Alexa Chung, each episode of 24 Hour Catwalk gives four talented designers the chance to compete to create their own collection…in just one day. After a first cut challenge and elimination that will test their innovation and aesthetic, the competition whittles down to two, each tasked with creating a themed collection for their own star-studded runway show. Contestants will be on pins and needles when they, along with help of 24 Hour Catwalk’s talented and opinionated sewing team, must prepare to showcase their three-piece collection to the program’s judges, including renowned designer Cynthia Rowley, New York Times best-selling author and fashion editor Derek Blasberg and power publicist James LaForce. As the clock ticks down, 24 Hour Catwalk will find out who has the vision, the talent and the endurance to put it all on the line in hopes of winning a cash prize and the chance to become the next “it” name in fashion.
Lifetime has ordered ten one-hour episodes of 24 Hour Catwalk, which will be produced by Jane Street Entertainment with Linda Lea and Donna Macletchie, and Rob Sharenow, Gena McCarthy and Colleen Conway of Lifetime executive producing.
Named one of Vogue’s 2009 Most Stylish Women of the year, Alexa Chung is a global fashion maven and trendsetter. As a model and television personality, the former host of MTV’s It’s On With Alexa Chung can regularly be seen on the covers of top tier fashion magazines across the globe. Most recently, Chung was awarded the British Fashion Style Icon Award by The British Fashion Awards and appeared on the cover of the New York Times Sunday Styles Section, which declared her as “the new Kate Moss.” Before moving to New York, Chung hosted several high profile U.K. shows, including Frock Me, Fashion Fix, Three’s Comedy and Wall. She also hosted the weekly music show Gonzo in London for both MTV and MTV2. Chung formed part of the T4 family when she hosted PopWorld in April 2006 alongside Alex Zane. She has also been featured in campaigns for DKNY and New Look and is currently seen as the face for the new Lacoste Fragrance (the first woman ever) as well as Pepe Jeans. Last fall, Chung teamed up with J. Crew’s sister line Madewell for the debut collection of “Alexa Chung for Madewell.” The line, which launched in coordination with Vogue’s “Fashion’s Night Out,” sold out various pieces within minutes. Chung’s second collaboration with Madewell launches on September 22. Luxury handbag design house Mulberry honored the fashion forward beauty by naming one of the most iconic bags of the past few years after Alexa; an item that currently has a waiting list of over 50,000.
Cynthia Rowley has long been a fashion and style authority, with a namesake collection that includes womenswear, menswear, eyewear, handbags, shoes, legwear, shapewear, home sewing products, and Genuine Article designed tool sets, as well as collaborations with Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Brand and Roxy for beachwear and wetsuits. Rowley has been recognized both within the fashion industry, with a Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear Design Talent by the CFDA in 1994 and a 1998 CFDA nomination for the Perry Ellis Award for New Menswear Design Talent, and as a popular style authority on Oprah, David Letterman, The Today Show, Project Runway and America’s Next Top Model, among others. Her work has been featured in nearly every major magazine and newspaper domestically and internationally.
Derek Blasberg is a New York Times best-selling author and fashion editor. He was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended New York University, graduating with degrees in Journalism and Dramatic Literature. His career started as an assistant at Vogue, and from there he contributed to many of the fashion industry’s most imminent magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, The New York Times, The London Sunday Times, W and Interview. He is currently the Editor at Large of Harper’s Bazaar, as well as V and VMan, the fashion magazines published by the art collective Visionaire. In 2008, Blasberg edited the book Influence, by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. In 2010, Blasberg published a best selling book of humorous essays called Classy: Exceptional Advice for the Extremely Modern Lady. In 2011, Very Classy, an expanded reissue of that book, was published. The book was translated into several languages and published in countries in Asia, South America and Europe. Blasberg is based in New York where he lives with his dog, Monster.
James LaForce is a highly-regarded media and communications consultant. From his headquarters in New York City, he represents some of the world’s best known brands. LaForce has been instrumental in promoting Target’s ground-breaking collaborations with fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen and Louella Bartley. Over the years, LaForce has also guided and shaped media campaigns for Gianfranco Ferre, Yves St. Laurent, Karl Lagerfeld, Perry Ellis, Banana Republic, Jimmy Choo, Liberty of London, Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, and Swarovski Crystal. With a nimble approach, he blends his business savvy with an insatiable interest in the trends and personalities of the ever-changing media landscape. LaForce was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and studied English Literature and writing at Columbia University. For five years, he was mentored by the legendary fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, who is often credited with putting American fashion on the global map. As his career in communications developed, with a number of multi-year stints at top P.R. firms, he managed programs for a range of prominent brands, from consumer packaged goods to fashion and luxury products.
(Source: Lifetime)
