FASHION WEEK MIAMI BEACH March 22nd -26th, 2006

Heatherette, Ted Baker, Baby Phat, Binetti, Vivienne Westwood , Esteban Cortazar, along with many of the worlds top designers to present their Fall/Winter '06 Collections at Fashion Week Miami Beach.

(March 1st, 2006, Miami Beach, FL) - After 3 years and 6 wildly successful seasons, Funkshion, the producers of Fashion Week Miami Beach, are pleased to announce the return to the sand for the Fall/Winter 2006 runway shows held March 22nd -26th.  It should be no surprise that the Cities of Miami and Miami Beach have proven a need for a fashion week of their own. FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami has harnessed the curiosity and support from the international fashion, music and lifestyle arenas, attracting numerous buyers, retailers and members of the press from around the world twice a year.

For the first time ever, world renowned Fashion TV (FTV) will broadcast live to their world-wide audience the opening night of Fashion Week Miami Beach along with the opening night show; Baby Phat.  Also on Friday night FUNKSHION and FTV will hold finals of the International competition “First Faces”.  These are models from all Fashion Weeks; NY, Paris, LA, Sao Paolo, and Milan. The female model that walked the most runways, the most times, as the “First Face” on the runway, will be the winner.   Now for the first time in the US, all of the finalists will descend on Fashion Week Miami where one of these internationally known top models will be crowned the International “First Face”. This event will be at the world famous South Beach venue Casa Casaurina.    FTV will also broadcast live the Heatherette runway show in the tents on the beach earlier that night. 

FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach is a five-day event (March 22nd to the 26th) that provides an intelligent, innovative platform for progressive, established, and emerging designers to showcase their collections to media, celebrities, international buyers, and select style makers. FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will celebrate the energy and substance of style across classes and cultures. The shows are geared towards designer diffusion collections and innovative lifestyle brands.  Designers will integrate music into their shows, many personally selecting their favorite celebrity DJs to preside over their runway spectacles. 

For March, a state of the art event pod will be built directly on the sands of Lummus Park across from the Versace Mansion.  The event pod, modern in design and function, will lend immense exposure to designers and sponsors alike. Complete with two full length runway venues seating over 300 guests each, a unique trade venue for corporate installations and designer trunk shows, and one lavish lounge area with glass walls bringing in the sexy atmosphere of Miami Beach to the venue.

“Our Fall/Winter 2006 collections will coincide with the Winter Music Conference which is widely regarded as the singular networking event in the dance music industry and attracting professionals from over 60 different countries. For that reason we chose quite a few designers to present collections that will really appeal to music industry, such as Heatherette, Efren Jarquin, Baby Phat and Fila,” says Fashion Week Miami Beach co-producer, Matt Heien. “The fashion world can sometimes be known as cold and inaccessible.  That to us, is the opposite of what it should be. Fashion should be fun and exciting. High fashion is moving away from catering simply to the elite and is now embracing a whole new audience. This is what Fashion Week Miami Beach is all about.”

Sharing the runway with renowned designers such as Heatherette, Baby Phat, Ted Baker of London, Dragana Ogenjanovic, and Esteban Cortazar, FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach will also host the Perrier Sparkling Mineral Water’s competition for the nation’s hottest up and coming designer. A panel of industry insiders, Fashion Group International board members, and choice media will select the best and brightest of these designers for the “Perrier Bubbling Under” Award recognizing excellence in emerging fashion talent. The winning designer will receive a cash prize to further their design career.

Fashion Week Miami Beach is also pleased to announce that on opening night, March 22nd, Mayor David Dermer of The City of Miami Beach will be presenting a “Key to the city” to FUNKSHION: Fashion Week Miami Beach, as a follow up to last years official proclamation of FUNKSHION as the official Fashion Week Miami Beach.

Visit www.fashionweekmiami.com