Outdoor Retailer today announced attendees will experience the event's annual Fashion Show, Project OR student design competition and events at the Source and Design Center in the main exhibit hall at the upcoming Winter Market, held Jan. 21-24, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Salt Palace Convention Center.


These fashion and design-focused events were previously held in ballrooms and other event areas located adjacent to the main exhibit hall.


“Design excellence has always been core to the outdoor industry, but more recently we've seen a surge in the blending of fashion elements as the outdoor lifestyle expands,” said Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director. “Features of the show like the Fashion Show and Project OR highlight the incredible design and sourcing process as well as the innovative apparel and gear that will hit stores in 2010-11.”


Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Fashion Show
The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market Fashion Show presented by Woolrich will take place on the show floor during the Outdoor Retailer “Winter Exposure” Industry Party on Thursday January 21, 2010 from 6-8 p.m., in the Event Area (located at the end of aisle #38000). 


Spotlighting dozens of the latest designs in the outdoor recreation technical, casual, and endurance apparel categories, the OR Winter Market Fashion Show is an integral way for thousands of attending buyers and media to get a high level perspective of industry trends.


In addition to the presentation at the Industry Party, restaged performances of the fashion show will take place in the Event Area on January 22, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.


For more information about the 2010 Winter Market Fashion Show presented by Woolrich or to check out footage from last year's Fashion Show, please click here.


Project OR Student Design Competition
Project OR, a 48-hour concept-to-prototype design competition, will again inspire innovative outdoor concepts as student designers from schools such as Philadelphia University, Purdue University and University of California – Davis are challenged to create a garment that is original, utilizes materials from component brands exhibiting at the show, and has a practical application for the outdoor market. Project OR will take place on the show floor in the Source and Design Center (located in booth #36180).


Show attendees are encouraged to follow the students' progress in the Source and Design Center, and via streaming video on the OR Web site. Attendees can submit their vote, via a ballot box by the contestant work stations, for the Project OR People's Choice Award.


The presenting sponsor for Project OR Cycle 4 is 3M and the supporting sponsor for Cycle 4 is Hyperbola Textile, Co. Participating material suppliers include Advanced Flexible Materials, Brookwood, CORDURA, Cotton, King Tech, Nuwa, Polartec, Schoeller and YKK.


The Source and Design Center
In addition to hosting Project OR, the Source and Design Center will serve attendees as a hub for design-focused events and a centralized location for attendees to view an inspiring variety of supplier swatches, samples and trim.


Design/Supplier Speed-Dating
The Source and Design Center will host the first-ever Outdoor Retailer Design/Supplier Speed-Dating event on Friday January 22 at 7 a.m. This fast-paced event will help members of the supply chain community add 30 new names to their contact list in less than 90 minutes.


The event can support 30 designers only and spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. Please RSVP to Eric Steele (eric@steelemedia.com).