Saint Augustine Academy and An Ode to No One are among the five labels dreaming up cocktail dress designs with hopes of securing a national retail opportunity.
The two labels are finalists in the fourth annual Chambord Shine Awards, along with designers Tali Roth, Elliot Ward-Fear and Tato & Memi. The winner of the awards will have their cocktail dress design produced and retailed nationally in Seduce stores.
The winner will also create a window display to be rolled out in all 17 Seduce stores in September.
The winner will be determined by a panel of 50 industry members and announced in July. Until then, each of the five designers have five weeks and $1000 to bring two cocktail dresses to life.
The most established in the industry of the five finalists is Saint Augustine Academy, an eight-year-old label that produces both women's and menswear. Designer Alvin Manalo and business partner Adrian Amores operate their own flagship boutique and have stockists across Australia, Asia and North America.
An Ode to No-One is also based in Sydney and designed by Adi Setiada. Winter 2011 is the label's fifth season and Setiada has worked previously for Akira Isogawa and Nicola Finetti.
Among those with fewer collections under their belt is Melbourne designer Tali Roth, who founded her eponymous womenswear label in 2009 and has showcased three collections to date. Of a similar age is Tato & Memi, a womenswear line by Tanya Ernon and Marijana Golic, also in its third season.
The fifth and final nominee is Elliot Ward-Fear, a womenswear designer who made his industry debut at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2010. He is a graduate of the TAFE NSW Fashion Design Studio.
The Chambord Shine Awards is an annual program that works to promote and support emerging Australian fashion designers. Past winners include womenswear designer Carl Kapp and men's, women's and accessories label Limedrop.