The first season of Fashion Star, appeared on NBC beginning on March 13, 2012 with 14 designers competing to become a "Fashion Star". The season was presented by Elle Macpherson. Celebrity mentors were Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos. The buyers were Caprice Willard for Macy's, Terron Schaefer for Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nicole M. Christie for H&M.
Designers
Source:
DesignerAgePlace of residenceFinish positionKara Laricks38New York City, New YorkWinnerRonnie Escalante 32San Francisco, CaliforniaRunner-UpNzimiro Oputa 28New York City, New YorkRunner-UpOrly Shani26 New York City, New York4thLuciana Scarabello 30Miami, Florida5thNikki Poulos43Delray Beach, Florida6thRoss Bennett 27Austin, Texas7thSarah Parrott 31Marietta, Georgia8thBarbara Bates 55Chicago, Illinois9thEdmond Newton32Atlanta, Georgia10thLisa Vian Hunter47Mercer Island, Washington11thLizzie Parker 41Seattle, Washington12thOscar Fierro37Lewisville, Texas13thNicholas Bowes38Los Angeles, California14th
Season progress
+Elimination Chart Designer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Finale Money EarnedKara BTM 2SOLDSOLDSOLD SAFESOLDSOLDSOLDADVWINNER $6,630,000Ronnie SAFE SAFE SAFESAVEDSOLDSOLDSOLDSOLDADVRUNNER-UP $420,000Nzimiro SOLDSOLDSOLD SAFE SAFESOLDSAVEDSOLDBTM 4RUNNER-UP $320,000Luciana SAFE SAFEBTM 2SOLDSOLDSOLDSOLDSOLDOUT $380,000Orly SOLD SAFESOLD SAFEBTM 2BTM 3SOLDBTM 3OUT $430,000NikkieSOLD SAFESOLDSOLDSOLDSAVEDBTM 3BTM 3OUT $300,000Ross SAFESAVEDSOLD SAFESOLDSOLDBTM 3OUT $220,000Sarah SOLDSOLDSOLDSOLDSOLDBTM 3OUT $300,000Barbara SAFE SAFE SAFESOLDSAVEDOUT $50,000Edmond SOLD SAFESAVEDBTM 2OUT $60,000Lisa Vian SAFESOLD SAFEOUT $50,000Lizzie SOLDBTM 2OUT $60,000Oscar SAVEDOUT $0Nicholas OUT $0 Contestant sold to Macy's for the first time. Contestant sold to Saks for the first time. Contestant sold to H&M for the first time. Contestant has sold to all three buyers. Results Blue background and ADV means that the designer made a sale and advanced to the final. Dark blue background and WINNER means that the designer advanced to the final and won the competition. Green background and SOLD means that the designer made a sale and was safe for the week. Lime green background and RUNNER-UP means that the designer advanced to the final, but did not win the competition. Gold background and SAVED means that the designer was one of the bottom three/four designers for the week, but was saved by the mentors. Olive background and BTM 4 means that the designer did not make a sale, but still advanced to the final. Orange background and BTM 2/3 means that the designer was one of the bottom two/three designers for the week, but was not eliminated. Red background and OUT means that the designer did not make a sale and was eliminated from the competition. Dark red background and OUT means that the designer made a sale, but was still eliminated from the competition.
Episodes
Episode 1: Pilot Original Airdate: March 13, 2012
In their first challenge, the designers will be asked to design and create their signature items. After an exhilarating trip down the runway, the retailers will make on-the-spot decisions as they vie for the right to purchase and exclusively carry the work of the up-and-coming designers each week.
BuyersContestantsLisaRonnieKaraOscarRossOrlyNikkiEdmondLucianaNzimiroLizzieSarahBarbaraNicholas Macy's No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000$50,000$60,000 No offer No offer$60,000 No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$80,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer$80,000 No offer No offer
Top sale: $80,000 (Orly for Saks Fifth Avenue & Sarah for H&M) Out: Nicholas Bowes
Episode 2: Who's Your Customer Original Airdate: March 20, 2012
The clothiers hear the demands and needs of their customers. They are given a retail space and then must decide whether to showcase their customers' favorite pieces or go with their own choice of designs.
BuyersContestantsLisaRonnieKaraOscarRossOrlyNikkiEdmondLucianaNzimiroLizzieSarahBarbaraMacy's$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$70,000 No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer No offer $110,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$70,000 No offer$50,000 No offer
Top Sale: $110,000 (Kara for Saks Fifth Avenue) Out: Oscar Fierro
Episode 3: Here Comes Summer Original Airdate: March 27, 2012
The remaining 12 designers look into the future to create a summer trend for their brand. First the designers meet with trend reporters from Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue to learn the fashion summer forecast. For the challenge, the designers must create a look that incorporates the summer trends. Some will win big, while others will miss the mark and leave the mentors wondering who they are as a designer. The winning creations will be available online immediately and in stores the following day.
BuyersContestantsLisaRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiEdmondLucianaNzimiroLizzieSarahBarbaraMacy's No offer No offer No offer$120,000$110,000$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer No offer$50,000 No offer$120,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer$50,000 No offer Top Sale: $120,000 (Orly for Saks Fifth Avenue & Ross for Macy's) Out: Lizzie Parker
Episode 4: High-End Appeal/Mass Market Appeal Original Airdate: April 3, 2012
The designers present two variations on a look: high-end couture and mass market.
BuyersContestantsLisaRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiEdmondLucianaNzimiroSarahBarbaraMacy's No offer No offer$60,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer$50,000Saks Fifth Avenue No offer No offer$70,000 No offer No offer$60,000 No offer$60,000 No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$70,000 No offer No offer No offer$60,000 No offer Top Sale: $70,000 (Kara for Saks Fifth Avenue & Nikki for H&M) Out: Lisa Vian Hunter
Episode 5: Living Department Store Window Original Airdate: April 10, 2012
The designers are faced with the challenge of using live models in a blank window space to feature their collections. The window will come to life on the "Fashion Star" stage. The designers who do not get bids from the retailers will find themselves on the brink of elimination.
BuyersContestantsRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiEdmondLucianaNzimiroSarahBarbaraMacy's$110,000 No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer No offer No offer No offer$70,000 No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offerH&M$90,000 No offer No offer No offer$80,000 No offer No offer No offer$60,000 No offer Top Sale: $110,000 (Ronnie for Macy's) Out: Edmond Newton
Episode 6: Out of the Box Original Airdate: April 17, 2012
The remaining designers are challenged to expand their brands by creating clothes outside of their comfort zones. A women's designer struggles with how to properly construct a men's garment. Meanwhile, one of the designers adds a sexy edge to his collection. In a twist, the mentors and buyers will not know whose designs they are watching as they bid on their favorite pieces.
BuyersContestantsRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiLucianaNzimiroSarahBarbaraMacy's$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offer$80,000 No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer Top Sale: $100,000 (Kara for Saks Fifth Avenue & Luciana for Macy's) Out: Barbara Bates
Episode 7: Mentor's Choice Original Airdate: April 24, 2012
The remaining designers are paired off with celebrity mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos. This episode the mentors must decide what each designer will create.
BuyersContestantsRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiLucianaNzimiroSarahMacy's$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer$100,000 No offer$70,000 No offer$60,000 No offer No offerH&M No offer No offer No offer$70,000 No offer$70,000 No offer No offer Top Sale: $100,000 (Kara for Saks Fifth Avenue) Out: Sarah Parrott
Episode 8: What's Your Campaign? Original Airdate: May 1, 2012
The designers are tasked with creating a brand campaign for their collections. Celebrity mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos work directly with the designers to provide insight into what makes a successful imaging campaign.
BuyersContestantsRonnieKaraRossOrlyNikkiLucianaNzimiroMacy's No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer$100,000Saks Fifth Avenue No offer$80,000 No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offerH&M$50,000$70,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer Top Sale: $100,000 (Nzimiro for Macy's) Out: Ross Bennett
Episode 9: Buyer's Choice Original Airdate: May 8, 2012
In one of the biggest challenges of the competition, the buyer from Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue ask the designers to create a piece for their store that they believe is missing from each of the designers' collections. In a twist, it is discovered that receiving a purchase from the retailers does not necessarily ensure the designers' safety from elimination. In the end, three designers who fail to impress the retailers will be sent home.
BuyersContestantsRonnieKaraOrlyNikkiLucianaNzimiro 1st sale 2nd sale 1st sale 2nd sale 1st sale 2nd sale 1st sale 2nd sale 1st sale 2nd sale 1st sale 2nd saleMacy's$50,000 No offer$60,000$60,000 No offer No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offerSaks Fifth Avenue No offer$100,000 No offer$50,000$60,000 No offer No offer$50,000 No offer No offer No offer No offerH&M No offer$110,000$60,000 No offer No offer$100,000 No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer No offer Top Sale: $110,000 (Ronnie for H&M) Out: Nikki Poulos, Orly Shani, Luciana Scarabello
Episode 10: Finale Original Airdate: May 15, 2012
The remaining three contestants are tasked with creating separate showcases consisting of three garments for each of the retailers. The designer that can meet the needs of Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue will be named America's first "Fashion Star" and receive a capsule collection in each of the stores.
Winner: Kara Laricks Runners-up: Ronnie Escalante & Nzimiro Oputa
Ratings Viewers (million) 1 "Pilot" March 13, 2012 1.6/4 4.58 2 "Who's Your Customer" March 20, 2012 1.8/5 4.76 3 "Here Comes Summer" March 27, 2012 1.5/4 4.00 4 "High End Appeal/Mass Market Appeal" April 3, 2012 1.5/4 4.11 5 "Living Department Store Window" April 10, 2012 1.8/5 4.66 6 "Out of the Box" April 17, 2012 1.5/4 4.46 7 "Mentor's Choice" April 24, 2012 1.5/4 4.59 8 "What's Your Campaign?" May 1, 2012 1.5/4 4.23 9 "Buyer's Choice" May 8, 2012 1.3/4 4.30 10 "Finale" May 15, 2012 1.6/4 4.81
References