Target Partners with The Toronto Fashion Incubator 2013 TFI New Labels® Competition

Target^® Corp. announced it will partner with the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) for the annual TFI New Labels^® Fashion Design competition.  The competition celebrates up and coming Canadian designers.  The winner of the competition will receive a $25,000 cash award from TFI supporter SuzAnne Rogers, as well as the opportunity to create an exclusive collection to be sold in Target Stores across Canada in 2014.

“Target has a longstanding commitment to great design and supporting the communities in which we do business,” said John Morioka, senior vice president, Merchandising, Target.  “We are proud to partner with an organization that has paved the way for so many up and coming designers and are excited to showcase great design and make it accessible to our guests across the country.”   

“We are always looking for ways to elevate the competition and we are thrilled to have Target on board to support New Labels this year,” said Susan Langdon, executive director, Toronto Fashion Incubator.  “With a guaranteed in-store collection on the line, the stakes are even higher for our young designers.  Target is known for their exclusive designer partnerships, and we are so pleased to be able to give one of our own such an amazing opportunity.”

TFI New Labels^® is a prestigious national fashion design competition featuring TFI members who have been in business three years or less. Since 1992, it has featured the hottest up and coming design talent in Canada, providing an opportunity to meet and interact with a prestigious panel of judges from the fashion industry from whom they gain valuable knowledge about running their own successful fashion line.

Designers entering the competition will be tasked with creating a fashion line for the Target guest.  Elisha Ballantyne, divisional merchandise manager, Apparel and Accessories, Target will meet with the competitors in advance to provide guidance on critical business elements to consider when creating their collections.  After a series of four challenges, the winner will be announced at the TFI New Labels^® Gala in April 2013.

The upcoming New Labels^® Competition winning prize includes:

• The SuzAnne Rogers Award for Most Promising Label: a cash prize of $25,000
• An exclusive collection to be sold in Target Stores across Canada in 2014
• A full page editorial feature in Flare magazine

For more information on TFI New Labels^®, designers can contact tfi@fashionincubator.com.

About TFI

The Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) is an award-winning and highly-acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and nurturing Canadian fashion designers and entrepreneurs. Established in 1987 as the world's first official "fashion incubator", the TFI model has been adopted by cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Auckland, Amsterdam, and Milan.  Housed in an 8,000 sq. ft. heritage building at Exhibition Place in Toronto, TFI provides critical support to creative entrepreneurs to develop the business and professional skills they need to thrive and survive. Start-up and advanced community programs include educational seminars on the business of fashion, one-on-one mentoring with industry professionals, exclusive promotional and sales opportunities, and valuable sales, marketing and trend resources.

About Target

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,781 stores across the United States and at Target.com. The company plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. For more information about Target’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit Target.com/hereforgood.