Annie Bloomston a finalist in Fashion Week competition

Mountain Brook High School student Annie Bloomston will show off her pop art design this month as a finalist in Birmingham Fashion Week’s Rising Design Star competition.

More than 80 middle school and high school students from across the state submitted garment designs using nontraditional items assembled with glue, tape and staples in the place of stitches. The top 40 designs, including Annie’s, will be displayed at the Birmingham Museum of Art until Feb. 10.

Annie’s concept started with inspiration from Andy Warhol.

“I wanted to incorporate boxes of candy,” Annie said. “I knew I would have them since I eat candy, but I found that I liked Andy Warhol’s pop tops, caps and Campbell’s soup creations a lot more.”

The end product is all “pop” themed, from can labels, to a Coke bottle top belt, to “cap” sleeves. She even included Warhol’s portrait in a locket.

Annie’s design took two weeks to finish, and she polished it off with a collar made of cardstock and black wire tape the night before it was due.

From the 40 finalists, 30 will be selected and receive an opportunity to showcase their design on the runway at Fashion Week Feb. 23-March 2 while competing for $1,000 in scholarships.

“The designs we have received this year have blown us away with their fashion sense and creativity,” said Jeanna Lee Fleming, co-founder of Birmingham Fashion Week. “These students, ranging from 11-18 years old, are already well on the way to becoming the next hot designers in New York City, and this competition can be the catalyst that propels their dreams forward.”

Showcasing world-renown designers and top models, the event, held at Pepper Place in downtown Birmingham, has expanded from four days to seven days of runway shows and parties that feature the same fashion found on the runways of New York. The schedule includes designer runway shows, fashions from local boutiques Laura Kathryn and The Pants Store, and model and design competitions highlighting the latest fashions of the season.

Designers Annie Griffin, Southern Proper, By Smith, Prophetik, Heidi Elnora, Leona Collection and What Goes Around Comes Around, as well as international designers, will contribute clothing. Not only will there be local and national celebrities in attendance, but they will also be judging the designs and model competitions.

Birmingham Fashion Week benefits many organizations, including Alabama Forever, which aids communities in need, and Camp Smile-A-Mile, which provides a year-round program for children with cancer in Alabama.

General admission and VIP seating are available, with an After Party following each show. Tickets range from $15-$85. For more, visit bhamfashionweek.com.