LIFEWTR, a premium bottled water brand of Purchase-N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc. that advances creativity, art and design to serve as a source of inspiration and hydration, is partnering with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) on a wide-ranging, multi-faceted global collaboration to help emerging fashion designers make their mark in national and international markets, the company says.
Through this partnership, three talented participants — Adam Dalton Blake, Tiffany Huang and Ghazaleh Khalifeh — in the CFDA+ spotlight program have been given the opportunity to have their bespoke designs displayed on nearly 40 million bottles of LIFETWTR for its Series 3 labels. They also will present their collections on the first day of New York Fashion Week. Included in the presentation will be the patterns that adorn Series 3 bottle designs and serve as inspiration for the designer's collections, it says.
Additionally, CFDA and LIFEWTR will provide these young up-and-comers with mentorship, access and networking opportunities. The designers will meet with stylists, set designers, hair and makeup artists and show producers, which will help bring their sartorial vision to life and get their designs in front of influential retailers, editors, tastemakers and consumers.
"Beyond being a source of hydration, LIFEWTR is a brand committed to giving a platform to emerging creative talent to be discovered, helping them bring to life their long-term aspirations and inspire their audiences. We are very excited to partner with CFDA as our purpose perfectly aligns with its mission to advance fashion, by helping talented emerging designers to break through," said Olga Osminkina-Jones, vice president of Hydration at PepsiCo Global Beverage Group, in a statement. "Together with the CFDA, we are offering the platform and guidance to help jump-start these designers' careers, by giving them visibility on nearly 40 million of our bottles and during New York's legendary Fashion Week."
The year-long, multi-faceted LIFEWTR x CFDA partnership began in early 2017 and will continue to create additional opportunities and visibility for LIFEWTR artists in the fashion community through 20 events this year, the company says. Previously, LIFEWTR was the official water partner of the 2017 CFDA Fashion Awards in June, the organization's celebration of the best and brightest in American fashion, with its Series 2 bottles and artwork prominently featured throughout the venue. LIFEWTR also had a presence at New York Fashion Week: Men's in July with a Women in Art pop-up gallery. LIFEWTR will continue to have a presence at The Retail Lab, a curated shop at Cadillac House currently showcasing Pamela Love, followed by Prabal Gurung in October, it adds.
"Support for creators and creativity to spark inspiration is a core pillar of the CFDA, and we are proud to partner with LIFEWTR, which shares the same ethos," said Steven Kolb, president and chief executive officer of the CFDA, in a statement. "We are especially excited that LIFEWTR is able to provide three emerging CFDA recognized fashion and textile designers with the opportunity to feature their aesthetic on their water bottles, giving them global exposure."
As Series 3 fashion designers, Dalton Blake, Huang and Khalifeh are focused on the area of textile and print designs. The presentation will take place Sept.7 at Pier 59 and will showcase their Spring-Summer 2018 collections.