Charlotte, N.C., – March 28, 2018 – Last week, collections created by the winners of the fifth annual Belk Southern Designer Showcase launched in select Belk stores and on Belk.com. The winning brands, Symbology, Agape Gems, Natalie Wood Designs, Gigi Carreras and Veronica Ramirez, bring a fresh mix of style from emerging fashion designers who have a deep connection to the South. Since the winning announcement in June 2017, the group has refined their individual designs for the Belk shopper, learned about production at scale and experienced in-store and online merchandising firsthand.

“This year’s Southern Designer Showcase collections are vibrant, fun and designed specifically for the modern, southern woman,” said Nadine Rauer, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of women’s apparel. “We are thrilled to be a part of their journey and help grow their brands because these collections are not only beautiful, but share a common mission – to empower women.”

The fifth annual, 2017 Southern Designer Showcase winners and their brands include:

•  Symbology; Grapevine, Texas

  • Marissa Heyl
  • Symbology uses handcrafted fabrics designed by women artisans from developing countries to bring a fresh, whimsical perspective to the tried and true hallmarks of Belk.

• Agape Gems; Atlanta, Ga.

  • Courtney Johnson
  • Agape Gems are inspired by love and feature classic, southern staples with hammered metals and splashes of color. The company is driven by a social purpose and donates a portion of proceeds to local and international organizations working to end human trafficking.

• Natalie Wood Designs; Irving, Texas

  • Natalie & Ken Wood
  • Natalie Wood Designs is a lifestyle jewelry brand specializing in affordable luxury jewelry for modern women who are risk takers, rule breakers and trend makers. 

• GiGi Carreras; Snellville, Ga.

  • Mia Carreras
  • GiGi Carreras is a line of interchangeable pieces with Parisian elegance and sophistication with Southern flair, perfect for the modern woman to mix and match across all seasons.

• Veronica Ramirez; Sharpsburg, Ga.

  • Veronica Ramirez
  • This collection is for the modern woman, featuring oversized silhouettes with graphic mixtures of stripes and solids.

The Southern Designer Showcase began in 2012 to celebrate regional Southern designers who embody Belk's Modern. Southern. Style. Each year, Belk searches for Southern designers whose collections fall within the following categories: women's apparel, men's apparel, kids’ apparel, shoes and women's accessories to add to its existing collection of private brands.

The new collections are available on Belk.com and in nine Belk locations: Crabtree Valley Mall, Raleigh, N.C.; SouthPark Mall, Charlotte, N.C.; Summit Plaza: Birmingham, Ala.; Mt. Pleasant Town Center, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; Cool Springs Galleria, Franklin, Tenn.; Town Center at Cobb, Kennesaw, Ga.; Dallas Galleria, Dallas, Texas; Columbiana Center, Columbia, S.C.; West Town, Knoxville, Tenn.

To preview the collections of the Southern Designer Showcase winners and get an in-depth look at the Southern Designer Showcase journey and design process, or to apply for the sixth annual competition, please visit Belk.com/southerndesigner. Applications are due April 30, 2018.

About Belk, Inc.
Belk, Inc., a private department store company based in Charlotte, N.C., is where Southern customers shop for their perfect Sunday dress, the Saturday night outfit, and where family and community matter most. But Belk is more than shopping – it’s where you find your own unique way to express who you are. It’s where Southern style lives. Shop Belk in 16 Southern states and on https://www.belk.com/ to find an assortment of national brands and private-label fashion, shoes and accessories for the entire family, along with top-name cosmetics, a wedding registry and Southern style for the home.

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