The Bay is searching for Quebec’s next great fashion designer through the reality series La Collection developed with French television network TVA.
Starting April 22, 10 up-and-coming Quebec fashion designers will compete for the chance to work for the Bay as the designer of its new La Collection line.
In each one-hour episode, contestants are given a creative challenge—make a cocktail dress, a business outfit or a ball gown—and the results are evaluated by a three-judge panel of Montreal designer Marie Saint-Pierre; art director Dick Walsh; and Quebec TV and radio personality Isabelle Racicot. A winning design will be offered exclusively within the chain’s Quebec stores the day after each episode has aired.
One contestant will be eliminated each week, and the last designer standing will be awarded a position with La Baie as creative director for La Collection, which includes a $100,000 salary and the opportunity to design the complete fall 2009 La Collection clothing line.
“The overall effect is that the Bay is not a sponsor but rather an ongoing character and part of the drama in every episode of the program,” said Patrick Dickinson, vice-president of marketing, the Bay.
La Collection will be hosted by Quebec TV personality Chantal LaCroix with special celebrity appearances every week. The show will run for eight episodes on TVA.
The show is only running in French Canada because of a “strategic need to improve our consumer engagement” there, and because that was where they found the “right partners on the ground that could deliver the quality of final product we envisioned,” said Dickinson.
Quebec represents a significant portion of the Bay’s business in the country and of the retail market overall, he said.
The province also has a heightened “fashion consciousness” and has a very dynamic competitive fashion market, Dickinson added.
“We needed something to act as a catalyst for all of our other improvements in the brand experience and break through consumer indifference,” said Dickinson.
