‘Generation Next’ drew crowd to [seven degrees]

O’Neill’s 2nd Annual “Generation Next” fashion show in association with Teen Vogue brought over 600 people to Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach, CA on Friday night. The much anticipated event concluded a 6-month program based at O’Neill’s headquarters, where each of the four Generation Next finalists worked diligently to create an original dress and handbag design with the help of O’Neill mentors. With an entrance line stretching the length of a city block, guests and industry insiders showed up to cheer for the teen designers: Angela Urmanita of Rowland Heights; Lauren Alvarez of La Palma; Lori Ke of Lakewood; and Kari Filardo of Orange. The result: Angela Urmanita was named this year’s Generation Next winner via the most text message votes.

Streamed live on O’Neill’s website and facebook page for those unable to attend, the high energy fashion show featured highlights from O’Neill’s Spring 2010 collection and creations from the ‘Gen Nexters.’ Each designer was introduced by a short video documenting their experience in the program, and explaining the inspiration for their design. From boho rock and aloha mod to urban ‘80’s surfer girl, the girls put their own playful interpretations on the latest trends for Spring.

“It was such a pleasure working with this talented group of girls,” said Kari Johnson, VP of Design, O’Neill. “Each girl brought her unique take to the O’Neill look and we’re so pleased with the end result. Not only was this a great hands-on learning experience for them, it was invaluable for O’Neill because it gave us the opportunity to work alongside our target audience.”

As the text votes were tallied, O’Neill CEO Toby Bost kept the crowd buzzing with a surprise announcement about the grand prize:

“It’s never too soon to start chasing your dreams. O’Neill created the Generation Next program to encourage youth to explore options early on and find out exactly what they want to do. We’re so happy to be able to provide this opportunity and congratulate all of the participants tonight on their commitment, enthusiasm, and accomplishments. Recognizing all the hard work and dedication over the course of the program, O’Neill will be matching the scholarship award, so the winner will now receive $4,000.”

Special performances by MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew “Fanny Pak” also kept the crowd on its feet with their slick dance moves. The event, hosted by musician Thomas Fiss, raised over $3,000 for Boarding for Breast Cancer (www.b4bc.org), an organization dedicated to increasing awareness for breast cancer and the value of an active lifestyle.

Additional images available upon request. For more information, please visit www.oneill.com.

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About O’Neill

O’Neill, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, was founded in 1952 when a young man named Jack O’Neill took his unstoppable passion for surfing and used it to beat Mother Nature at her own game. Pioneering the world’s first neoprene wetsuit, Jack had successfully found a way to extend his surf sessions in the bone-chilling breaks of Northern California. He opened up the garage doors to his first surf shop in Santa Cruz soon after.

While many things have changed since those humble beginnings, Jack’s initial vision of producing functional and innovative boardriding products continues to lie at the core of everything the company does. O’Neill’s core values – innovation in style and technology – have seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of the action sports lifestyle. From the first ever neoprene wetsuit and surf leash, to the world’s first stitchless boardshorts and range of groundbreaking wearable electronics, O’Neill’s progressive spirit will always drive the company forward. For more information, please visit www.oneillclothing.com.

About Teen Vogue

TEEN VOGUE is a Condé Nast publication bringing together style-conscious girls as the number one source of relevant fashion and beauty news. TEEN VOGUE brings the sophistication and authority of VOGUE to a new generation of savvy young adults with the desire to be on the cutting edge of fashion, beauty and style. Launched in February 2003, TEEN VOGUE publishes 10 issues a year and has a guaranteed circulation of 1,000,000.