11. Michelle Lesniak Franklin
Michelle Lesniak Franklin is a 34-year-old designer from Portland, Oregon. When not designing clothes she works at a boutique store, Garnish Apparel. Franklin studied printmaking and fine art in college and has taken courses in pattern making and draping.
12. Patricia Michaels
Patricia Michaels is a Native American 46-year-old designer from Taos, New Mexico. She works in fashion and textile design and studied at the Institute of American Indian Art, and the Chicago Art Institute as well as worked with a tailor in Italy. She won the Best of Textiles at Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.
13. Richard Hallmarq
Richard Hallmarq is a 39-year-old designer from Sacramento, California who works as an admissions representative. Hallmarq has a degree in fashion design and marketing.
14. Samantha Black
Samantha Black is a 28-year-old design from Brooklyn, New York. She got a BFA from Pratt Institute in fashion design. During her junior year she won a Joseph Citarella Resort Wear Award. Black says her favorite material to work with is neoprene.
15. Stanley Hudson
Stanley Hudson a 44-year-old designer from West Hollywood, California who currently works as a stylist and costumer. Hudson studied fashion at Otis/Parsons School of Design.
16. Tu Suthiwat Nakchat
Tu Suthiwat Nakchat is a 26-year-old designer from Springfield, Virginia. She attended Parsons the New School for Design and the Paris American Academy and received a degree in fashion design.