NYC introduction hosted by Caleres CEO Diane Sullivan and designer Sam Edelman at new flagship showroom Aug. 3; marks debut of six exceptional new talents from across U.S.

Winner to be chosen on November 4 during Saint Louis Fashion Week

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After a highly competitive national search, St. Louis-based Caleres (formerly known as Brown Shoe Company) and Saint Louis Fashion Fund are pleased to announce the six finalists for the 2015 Caleres Emerging Designer Award. The winner will be announced during Saint Louis Fashion Week in November and will receive a $25,000 cash grant to support their ongoing work.

The six finalists are Julie Haus and Jason Alkire (Haus Alkire), Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta (Eckhaus Latta), Azede Jean-Pierre (Azede Jean-Pierre), Katharine Polk (Houghton), Brandon Sun (Brandon Sun), and Jordana Warmflash (NOVIS).

"Some of the values we live by every day as a company include curiosity, creativity and passion," said Diane Sullivan, CEO, president and chairman of Caleres. "The Emerging Designer competition embodies those values, and we are always inspired by the designers that participate. Each year the bar is raised-we can't wait to meet the candidates this year."

Jurors for the Caleres Emerging Designer Award presented by Saint Louis Fashion Fund include CEO of LaForce + Stevens James LaForce, international fashion and design consultant Fern Mallis, Barneys New York Fashion Director Tomoko Ogura, designer Lisa Perry, and co-CEO of Hilldun Corporation and Chairman of InterLuxe Gary Wassner. Saint Louis Fashion Fund is responsible for developing and coordinating the awards program; Roopal Patel of Roopal Patel Consulting assisted with the national search for designers.

"St. Louis has a storied history in the fashion industry with a garment district that was second only to New York. The Caleres Emerging Designer Award reignites that legacy by bringing new American talent here to launch their brands and highlight the opportunities that we offer to fashion entrepreneurs," said Susan Sherman, chair of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund.

About Caleres

Caleres is a diverse portfolio of global brands, which fit people's lives: Family, Healthy Living and Contemporary Fashion. Our products are available virtually everywhere - in the over 1,200 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our branded ecommerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Famous Footwear and Famous.com serve as our Family brands. Our Contemporary Fashion brands include Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, Vince, Via Spiga, Diane von Furstenberg, Fergie Footwear and Carlos Santana. Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, LifeStride, Bzees and Rykä represent our Healthy Living brands. Combined, these brands help make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission. Our legacy is our more than 130-years of craftsmanship, our passion for fit and our business savvy, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel good…feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more about us.

About Saint Louis Fashion Fund

Saint Louis Fashion Fund is a non-profit organization, which supports emerging designers and promotes fashion education and outreach. Among the programs the Fund supports is Lift for Life Academy's inner city fashion program, Missouri History Museum's conservation of period gowns, and the Caleres Emerging Designer Award. The Fund's signature project is building a Fashion incubator in Downtown St. Louis, which was once a bustling Garment District, second only to New York.saintlouisfashionfund.org.

About Saint Louis Fashion Week

Saint Louis Fashion Week is considered the top regional fashion week in the country outside of New York and LA. The Saint Louis Fashion Week runway has showcased designers such as Yigal Azrouël, Rebecca Taylor, Tess Giberson, Rachel Pally, Black Halo and Eva Franco, increasing awareness and demand for these brands in the Midwest region and elevating the local fashion community in St. Louis. Each season, Saint Louis Fashion Week reaches over 5,000 attendees, awards more than $20,000 to emerging designers and raises over $5,000 for local charities. STLFW has supported over 70 local, regional and national designers by connecting them to buyers and other industry professionals and providing them with the vital resources for success.saintlouisfashionweek.com.

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