On July 14th, 2016, Cadillac and the CDFA held a happy hour celebration to launch their new ‘Retail Lab’ program. This program has been created to enable designers to bring their business to the next level.
Every three months, a new designer will have the privilege of opening a retail shop on the ground floor of the Cadillac headquarters. Throughout these three months, the selected designer will receive specialized training – such as business development, marketing, and PR advice – to help them improve their brand in invaluable ways. Each designer receives a $75,000 grant to help them to get their business up and running. The program is part of Cadillac’s initiative to continue furthering the development and notoriety of American fashion.
This month, the selected designer is Timo Weisland, and the happy hour at the CFDA curated shop was dedicated to helping him launch his brand. At the celebration, there was an open bar, subtle background music, and graphic projections, to help create a comfortable environment for attendees to enjoy. Guests were able to explore the area, and converse with ease. The bartending staff was not only helpful and friendly, but ensured that the area was clean and comfortable for the partygoers to enjoy.
The application to become a Cadillac sponsored designer will be open from April the 6th, 2016, until May the 6th, 2016. From the application pool, five designers will be selected by the Advisory Board, and the lucky designers will be announced at the end of May for the 2016/2017 term.
Unfortunately the CFDA and Cadillac Retail Lab is not currently accepting responses for applications, but stay tuned for when it reopens.
Should you be interested in applying for this prestigious program, continue to check this link for new application openings: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YLklcIPoYh01BST_fyD3OYp6ifQz2dCo9RRu12klfhk/closedform
