- 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 St. Louis Fashion Week to be held JUNE 6th - 14th, 2026. (Dates are subject to change.)

- We are looking for designers to show their SPRING/SUMMER 2026 or FALL/WINTER 2026 collections.

APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION:

- Submit your application materials in the time frame allotted- FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2025 - MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026.

- Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59pm CST on MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026 to be considered. No late applications will be accepted. No exceptions.

- St. Louis 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, Streetwear, Swimwear, Accessories, Avante Garde, Athletic wear, 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 STLFW judges. Interview announcements will be sent out through email to only those selected by WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 2026. (Dates are subject to change)

- All designers that are selected to interview will be scheduled for a virtual interview on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND or TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, 2026. (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 STLFW 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@stlouisfashionweek.com by SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1ST, 2026.

- 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 STLFW'S 2026 shows.

- Final selection notices will be sent out through email by WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, 2026. 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 STLFW LLC) or through Paypal immediately. Designers will not receive the STLFW model roster or will not be announced and receive any promotion until their designer contract and entry fee are submitted.

- A mandatory follow-up interview with each designer will be scheduled for APRIL 8TH AND APRIL 9TH, 2026. This interview will be virtually and you should plan on showing 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.

- STLFW will hold two castings for models. All models selected for the STLFW 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 STLFW 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 STLFW designer. Model castings will take place after designers are selected for the runway shows.

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

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 STLFW show must be from the STLFW model roster, and registered with STLFW. 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. STLFW, 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 STLFW.

- After you have made your initial model selections from the STLFW model roster, the designer will send STLFW their model selection preferences and STLFW will contact all models on behalf of the designer. After models are confirmed by STLFW, 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 STLFW. STLFW reserves the right to approve or decline booking of specific models based on prior work ethic, reliability, etc.

- 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.

- STLFW reserves the right to approve or decline booking of specific models based on prior work ethic, reliability, etc.

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

- STLFW 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 STLFW 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, STLFW LLC or SLFW LLC. 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 STLFW LLC OR SLFW LLC.

- STLFW will hold mandatory DRESS rehearsals and rack checks for all designers and models participating in STLFW on SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH OR SUNDAY, JUNE 7TH, 2026. 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/dress rehearsal, they will not be allowed to show their collection at STLFW.

- At this dress 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 STLFW and full dress rehearsal with garments on the models. Rack checks and dress rehearsals 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 95% complete at this point in the design process. If the STLFW 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 STLFW staff so accommodations can be made in advance.

- Models must be able to attend this rehearsal if they plan on walking in STLFW. 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 STLFW, both designers will need to submit an application and entry fee in order to both be marketed appropriately.

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

BRAND RECOGNITION (FOR SELECTED DESIGNERS ONLY):

- Designer photo/bio placement on STLFW website.
- 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 STLFW LLC 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 STLFW.)
- Established and Emerging designers: 8 look minimum, 15 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
- STLFW Choreographed Designer finale at the end of your segment
- STLFW 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 STLFW.

MODELS:

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

HAIR/MAKE-UP:

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

TICKETS:

- 2 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 STLFW photographers, for each one of your garments on the runway, up to 15 (maximum number of looks allowed.) Download of web-quality images from social media sites is allowed. This does not include group photos on the red carpet.

- For an additional fee, you may add extra high-resolution images and show tickets to your show package.
- Optional Backstage Look Book Photoshoot with STLFW photographer for an additional fee of $300 (for 10 looks or less) or $350 (for more than 10 looks.) This fee will be paid to STLFW and then given to the photographer for the photoshoot and all editing of photos. This early bird pricing for all shoots booked before May 1st, 2026. If booked after May 1st, pricing is raised $75 for photoshoots.
- Optional video of your individual runway segment will be available for $150.This early bird pricing for all video booked before May 1st, 2026. If booked after May 1st, pricing is raised $50 for video.

This information will only be used by STLFW 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 STLFW website, in press releases, and in STLFW 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 St. Louis 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 by WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 2026.

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

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

BY SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION, YOU ARE STATING YOUR INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN ST. LOUIS 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 2026 ST. LOUIS 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.)

- 15 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 SAINT LOUIS 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 STLFW BEFORE BOOKING.

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

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