Jack + Bill has revealed the four industry names who will bestow up to $30,000 worth of free PR to emerging fashion labels.
The pop up public relations agency, an offshoot of firm Porter Novelli Melbourne, is offering up to three months and $30,000 of free PR to a maximum of three emerging fashion, accessories or jewellery businesses.
To be in the running for the prize, designers must be Melbourne-based and present their lookbook or portfolio to judges at a casting call on July 30.
On hand to assess the applicants will be Alex Zabotto-Bentley, a former Vogue staffer and the founder of fashion label FashionAssassin. Zabotto-Bentley now runs AZB Creative, an event management firm, and is seeking designers with “marketable uniqueness”.
Joining him on the judging panel will be Sandi Sieger, founder of online magazine Onya and editor-in-chief for social media management firm White Echo. The remaining judges will be Porter Novelli Melbourne managing director Peter Kent and Jack + Bill general manager Briony Carland.
Established earlier this year, Jack + Bill is a temporary PR agency with the sole aim of identifying and representing emerging fashion talent at no cost to the designer/label. The initiative is based on a similar project undertaken by Porter Novelli New York in 2008, where 50 US labels pitched for the opportunity to receive free PR services.
The Australian casting call is open to Melbourne-based labels only, and all designers must complete an application form.