January 30, 2012 (Washington, DC) - The DC Fashion Foundation (DCFF) has announced the four designers chosen to participate in its inaugural DC Fashion Incubator (DCFI) program. The designers are Azadeh Tajdivand of her self-entitled Azadeh Tajdivand line, Gennet Purcell of Maven, Tatiana Kolina of My Mooty Booty and Isaiah Butler of Do You Clothing.

The DCFI, located at 760 N Street, NW, will provide a space for the designers to sketch, build and present their designs as well as connect to influential local mentors on brand development, financial planning, media relations, retail presentations and more with the ultimate goal of bringing their products to market and creating a successful economic venture. The designers were selected by criteria developed under advisement of Ayris Scales, Principle of 7 Concepts LLC and the past interim, Executive Director of DC Arts Commission. The panel represented the financial, business and design aesthetic sides of the fashion industry and included Theron Green, VP of Small Business Banking at Bank of America, Susan Clampitt, Commissioner at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Edward Archer, celebrity stylist and fashion industry entrepreneur, Lee Ann Stevenson of the Di Moda Group and Holeeta Todd, Principal at DC-based clothing manufacturer Cain & Carlyle Clothing Co. and lead designer and resident mentor at DCFI.

"These inaugural DCFI designers were chosen by their potential to develop their brand and designs to be ultimately become a successful business in various markets," says Christine Brooks-Cropper, President and Founder of DCFF and DCFI. "Our goal is to prepare them, as much as possible, to create a new and successful business that will add to job and economic development in the District."

The DC Fashion Foundation supports the local fashion industry of DC to engage and educate the community on fashion as an art as well as a business. The DC Fashion Incubator (DCFI) program has a primary objective to serve as the cornerstone of fashion industry small business development and entrepreneurship in Washington, DC educational programs, workforce training initiatives, and networking and mentoring opportunities for aspiring fashion professionals and entrepreneurs. In addition, 2012 applications for the Fashionably Business program, open to participation by the local design and fashion industry community, will begin in late February.

Additional mentors to these and future designers of DCFI were named as DC Fashion Ambassadors and include Aba Kwawu, Public Relations and Event Production, Adrian Loving, Runway and Event Music, Aureta Thomillori, Influential Blogger, Barbara McConaghy, Renowned Editorial/Celebrity/Runway Stylist, Christopher Reiter, Fashion and Design Retailer, Eric Brewer, Community Leader, Holly Thomas, DC Fashion Journalist, Janice Rankin, Fashion Design Educator, Jennifer Fisher, Fashion Industry Lobbyist, Lynda Erkiletian, Agent to Professiona Models and Stylists, Nora Sommerkamp, Professional Model.

The DCFI is also accepting recommendations of national and other local business mentors to provide technical assistance to the designers. If interested please submit your nomination and resume to Jessica Hoy at Jessica@neuprofile.com

About the DC Fashion Foundation Foundation (http://www.gwfcc.org/index.php/foundation)
The Washington, DC Fashion Foundation (DCFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by GWFCC in June 2009 to support the Washington, DC fashion community through educational programs, workforce training initiatives, and networking and mentoring opportunities for aspiring fashion professionals and entrepreneurs. It works closely with GWFCC to undertake the following goals:

• Increase the business skills and workforce preparedness of fashion entrepreneurs;
Improve the quality and availability of fashion design education opportunities for youth and adults in the Washington, DC area;
• Strengthen the connections and networks that form the foundation of the District's fashion community.

About the DC Fashion Incubator Program of DCFF (www.dcfashionincubator.org)
The DC Fashion Incubator (DCFI) is based on the successful model found in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. DCFI provides resources, infrastructure and programming to nurture the District's budding fashion industry so that it can reach its full potential. The DC Fashion Incubator serves as the foundation of business support for the fashion industry in the District and a model that can be implemented throughout the US. The primary objective of DCFI is to serve as the cornerstone of small business development and support for the fashion industry in Washington, DC by helping fashion entrepreneurs:

• Develop the appropriate industry skills to become successful artisans;
• Facilitate and support the launching and growth of their small businesses by providing access to shared work-space and operational resources;
• Enhance their skill set by providing local training and professional development opportunities;
• Benefit from cross-fertilization and networking opportunities with other entrepreneurs and professional service providers.