- Your cooperation is necessary in order for us to give your work a full, fair, and timely review. Please review and follow these guidelines very carefully and read all information provided. Any designer interested in participating must fully complete and return this form and all other application materials. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

- We will be selecting designers for several different runway shows, presentations and pre-events for Kansas City Fashion Week SPRING/SUMMER Collections, to be held MARCH 8TH - 15TH, 2025. (Dates are subject to change.)

- We are looking for designers to show their SPRING/SUMMER 2025 collections.

APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION:

- Submit your application materials in the time frame allotted- MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2024 - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25th, 2024.

- Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59pm CST on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25th, 2024 to be considered. No late applications will be accepted. No exceptions.

- Kansas City Fashion Week is looking for designers whose collections fall into the following design categories:
Ready-to-wear, Couture, Womenswear, Children's Wear, Menswear, Bridal, Eveningwear, Swimwear, Accessories, Avante Garde, Atheticwear, and Artistic fashion.

- You must submit at least 4 photos of your previous work with your application.

- Applications will be reviewed and narrowed down to a set of designers who will be selected to interview with a panel of KCFW judges. Interview announcements will be sent out through email to only those selected on MONDAY, OCTOBER 28TH, 2024. (Dates are subject to change)

- All designers that are selected to interview will be scheduled for FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST and MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2024. (Date and times subject to change) Times and locations will be assigned in your invitation to interview.
All applicants must be able to interview on these dates. Each interview will last approximately 15-20 minutes. Please mark this date on your calendar if you plan on applying as a designer.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL INITIAL INTERVIEWS THIS SEASON WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY. GOOGLE MEET WILL BE USED FOR ALL INTERVIEWS.

- If selected to interview with our panel, please come to your interview prepared to show our staff sketches or idea boards for at least four pieces that will represent your planned SPRING/SUMMER 2025 collection.

- Each applicant should show us at least three garments you have personally constructed from a previous collection. These garments should represent your construction ability and craftsmanship and be some of your most recent work.

- You will be required to share your presentation with the team during your interview. If this is not possible you will be required to email scans of your sketches and presentation materials to teisha@kcfashionweek.com by THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2024.

- You must also email photos of your most current collection, along with close-up photographs, so the panel may see the craftsmanship of your work.

- The panel will score each interviewee and scores will be used to make the final selections for KCFW's Fall show.

- Final selection notices will be sent out through email on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024. We will then post selected designers to our website and on our social media pages.

- Upon selection, you will be sent a Designer Orientation Packet and Designer Contract. Please read this packet thoroughly. Your $650 designer fee ($325 for student designers) must be paid in the form of a check (made payable to Kansas City Fashion Week) or through Paypal immediately. Designers will not receive the KCFW model roster until their designer contract and entry fee are submitted.

- A mandatory follow-up interview with each designer will be scheduled for the weekend of JANUARY 11TH, 2024. This interview will be held in-person and you should plan on brining all pieces of your collection that are in progress for review.

This interview is held for the panel to see the progress of your collection before the show. You must be available for a follow-up interview at this time. If a designer misses their follow-up interview, they will not be allowed to show their collection.

- KCFW will hold three castings for models. All models selected for the KCFW model roster will be put into a database and only these models will be allowed to walk for a designer.

**All models who would like to walk in a KCFW show, must attend one model casting. This includes specific models who you are interested in walking for you. MODEL CASTINGS WILL BE CLOSED, THEREFORE DESIGNERS, AGENTS AND GUESTS SHOULD NOT ATTEND CASTINGS. (One parent/guardian may accompany a minor to auditions.) Please be sure to send any models you like to use in your show, in the event you are selected as a KCFW designer. Model castings will take place after designers are selected for the runway shows.

**ALL MODELS WALKING IN KCFW MUST GO THROUGH THE CASTING PROCESS AND MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE ROSTER IN ORDER TO WALK.

**ALL MODELS WILL BE LIMITED TO WALKING IN ONLY TWO KCFW SHOWS PER SEASON. ONCE A MODEL HAS BEEN BOOKED BY TWO DESIGNERS, THEY ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR BOOKING. Limiting models to walking in two runway shows will ensure that more of our over 400 models on the roster each season, will have the opportunity to participate in KCFW.

The model database given to selected designers will have the model number, photos, a video of their runway walk at casting and preliminary measurements. This will be made available to all selected designers after they have paid their designer fee. THIS DATABASE AND ALL PHOTOS AND INFORMATION IS NOT TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE EXCEPT THE DESIGNER. Designers should not share this information on social media or with other parties.

-In order to present the best fashion week possible, and to protect the images of the designers' lines, EVERY MODEL walking in a KCFW show must be from the KCFW model roster, and registered with KCFW. Any model not registered and approved will not be allowed to walk. Registration involves attending a casting, being selected by the model selection panel for the roster, completing a registration form and an image release form at one of the castings. KCFW, LLC reserves the right to refuse registration to any model at its sole option. ALL MODELS ON THE MODEL ROSTER ARE REGISTERED AND APPROVED BY KCFW.

- After you have made your initial model selections from the KCFW model roster, the designer will send KCFW their model selection preferences and KCFW will contact all models on behalf of the designer. After models are confirmed by KCFW, designer will receive contact information for booked models to schedule fittings and to distribute information. PLEASE DO NOT START CONTACTING MODELS BEFORE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. Models contacted by designers through social media without going through this process, will not be eligible to walk for a designer in KCFW.

- Each model is only allowed to walk for one designer per show. No exceptions. If a model is asked by 2 or more designers showing on the same evening, it will be the model's responsibility to choose which designer to walk for on that day.

- Model fitting scheduling and implementation are the responsibility of the designer.

- KCFW WILL ASSIST THE DESIGNER IN SELECTION OF MODELS FOR EACH SHOW AT THE REQUEST OF THE DESIGNER.

-THE DESIGNER AGREES THAT IF THEY DO NOT HAVE MODELS SECURED BY THE CONCLUSION OF DESIGNER FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS, THEN KCFW WILL SELECT MODELS FOR THE DESIGNER WITHOUT FURTHER INPUT FROM THE DESIGNER. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THE DESIGNER HAS 72 HOURS TO COMMUNICATE SIZES AND HEIGHTS OF MODELS NEEDED OR THOSE LOOKS WILL NOT SHOW IN DESIGNER'S RUNWAY SHOW.

- Models are not secured by, nor hired by, Kansas City Fashion Week, LLC or KCFW Events, Inc.. If you choose to compensate your models, all commissions, agency fees, and financial liability for any required taxes, including federal, state and local wage withholding, is the responsibility of each designer, not Kansas City Fashion Week, LLC or KCFW Events, Inc.

- KCFW will hold mandatory rehearsals and rack checks for all designers and models participating in KCFW on SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST OR SUNDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2025. Each designer will be assigned a time slot on one of those days for their models to practice. If a designer misses their rack check/rehearsal, they will not be allowed to show their collection at KCFW.

- At this rehearsal, the designer will be required to bring all pieces from the collection that will be shown on the runway for a rack check by KCFW. Rack checks are done to ensure that all pieces shown on the runway are complete and cohesive with the rest of the collection. Every piece in the collection must be 90% complete at this point in the design process. If the KCFW staff does not find the look complete enough at this point, the look may be cut from the collection. You may also use this time for fittings with models as necessary. If utilizing this time for model fittings as well, please inform KCFW staff so accommodations can be made in advance.

- Models must be able to attend this rehearsal if they plan on walking in KCFW. Please inform your models of these dates as soon as they are selected for your show to ensure they will be able to be there.

If selected, each designer will be required to pay a $650 designer fee ($325 for student designers currently enrolled in a fashion design program) in order to participate. This fee is non-refundable. Please consider this before submitting payment and your designer contract.

COLLABORATIONS:

If the designer plans to collaborate with another designer for clothing or accessories, and both designers want brand recognition from KCFW, both designers will need to submit an application and entry fee.

The designer agrees all collaborations with other brands (e.g. an apparel designer collaborating with a jewelry designer) will be approved in advance by KCFW. This must be discussed with KCFW in your initial designer interview. Such collaborations will not be credited on images posted by KCFW unless the collaboration brand has submitted an application with the set designer fee.

BRAND RECOGNITION (FOR SELECTED DESIGNERS ONLY):

- Designer photo/bio placement on KCFW website.
- Designer recognition in KCFW Magazine for your specific show date.
- Special opportunities, as they become available, for news features, interviews, and appearances. You must have a current, professional headshot submitted with your application.

SHOW PRODUCTION:

- Show venue
- High-end runway showcase produced by KCFW Events, Inc. during one of the specific shows. (All runway segments are limited to 15 minutes in length. All runway choreography must be coordinated and approved by KCFW.)
- Established and Emerging designers: 8 look minimum, 18 look maximum
- Students: 6 look minimum, 10 look maximum
- Staging and runway
- Lighting
- AV Equipment
- DJ and personalized music track for your runway show*
- Backstage area
- Models
- Hair/Makeup Styling team
- Designer finale at the end of your segment
- KCFW volunteer assistants to help with dressing, etc.
- Pop-up opportunities during the week of the runway shows.

*Live music/performances will not be permitted without prior authorization by KCFW.

MODELS:

- Selection of models from the KCFW official model roster
- Model runway training provided by KCFW to all models
- Option for KCFW to select models (or assist with selecting models) on designer's behalf

HAIR/MAKE-UP:

- Hair/makeup team will be provided by KCFW, if designer notifies KCFW of need by deadline.
- If you have a particular hair/makeup team you would like to work with, they must apply and be selected by KCFW as an official style team.*
*Due to potential sponsorship and other conflicts, KCFW cannot guarantee that you will be paired with your preferred style team.

TICKETS:

- 2 Premium 3rd row tickets to your own showcase for friends/family/press.
- 1 GA ticket for designer to attend additional runway nights in which they are not showing a collection.

PHOTOS:

- 1 high-resolution image of your choosing from the collection of photos from the Official KCFW photographers, for each one of your garments on the runway, up to 20 (maximum number of looks allowed.) Download of web-quality images from social media sites is allowed.
- For an additional fee, you may add extra high-resolution images and show tickets to your show package.
- Optional Backstage Look Book or Venue Photoshoot with KCFW photographer for an additional fee of $275 (for 10 looks or less) or $325 (for more than 10 looks.) This fee will be paid to KCFW and then given to the photographer for the photoshoot and all editing of photos.
- Option video of your individual runway segment will be available for $150.

This information will only be used by KCFW staff to contact and send information to you.

This information will be used to highlight your brand on our website, in press releases and in other promotional materials. It is extremely encouraged that designers have professional, business social media accounts and a functioning website before designer interviews.

Please provide us with a professional Designer Biography for use on the KCFW website, in press releases, and in KCFW promo materials. Please write this biography in third-person singular format. (This biography may be shortened for printing purposes.)

Please provide complete answers to the below questions. You must answer every question to remain eligible.

The Kansas City Fashion Week selection panel will review each submitted application. Only designers who have been selected for an interview will be notified via email, by 11:59 pm on TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.

Any questions regarding submissions should be addressed to teisha@kcfashionweek.com.

Thank you for submitting your application for Kansas City Fashion Week! We look forward to working with you.

BY SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION, YOU ARE STATING YOUR INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN KANSAS CITY FASHION WEEK. THIS MAY INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: MAIN RUNWAY SHOWS, AUXILIARY RUNWAY SHOWS, PRESENTATIONS, VIEWINGS, AND ASSOCIATED PRE-EVENTS.

- EACH DESIGNER MUST BE ABLE TO PRESENT, DURING SPRING/SUMMER COLLECTIONS 2025 KANSAS CITY FASHION WEEK, A MINIMUM OF 8 COMPLETE ORIGINAL LOOKS IN EITHER ONE DESIGN STYLE OR A COMBINATION OF DESIGN STYLES. (MINIMUM OF 6 FOR CURRENT STUDENTS.)

- 18 IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF LOOKS ALLOWED. THIS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED.
(MAXIMUM OF 10 FOR CURRENT STUDENTS)

-***QUICK CHANGES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED BACKSTAGE.**

- ALL LOOKS MUST BE ORIGINAL AND NEVER SHOWN BEFORE IN THE KANSAS CITY MARKET.

- ALL HAIR/MAKEUP STYLING MUST BE COMPLETED ON-SITE. NO OFF-SITE HAIR/MAKEUP WILL BE ALLOWED. ALL OUTSIDE HAIR/MAKEUP TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS MUST BE APPROVED BY KCFW BEFORE BOOKING.

- ALL CHOREOGRAPHY WILL BE DETERMINED BY KCFW (WITH DESIGNER SUGGESTIONS CONSIDERED). NO CHOREOGRAPHY IS TO BE PRACTICED WITH MODELS OR DECIDED ON BEFORE OFFICIAL KCFW REHEARSALS.

- TRAVEL TO/FROM KANSAS CITY FOR DESIGNERS, MODELS, HAIRSTYLISTS, MAKE-UP ARTISTS, ETC. IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF KANSAS CITY FASHION WEEK, AND WILL NEED TO BE HANDLED BY THE INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATING.