Lexus and Vogue Kick Off Fall Fashion Season During Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The leading luxury automaker and the venerated arbiter of fashion join forces to usher in the new fashion season

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif., Aug. 13 -- Exquisite design, top talent and innovative fashion will converge during "The Lexus Fashion Preview" fashion show at the 57th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. On Friday, August 17, 2007, Lexus and Vogue will showcase collections from the next generation of young American design talent to more than 1,500 guests at the premier invitation-only fashion event.

The show -- hosted by Vogue's fashion news and features director Sally Singer -- will reveal the collections from the finalists of the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund initiative. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition is the fashion industry's intense search for the talent that will emerge as the next great American designer. Selected from a field of hundreds of initial applicants, the 10 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists will compete for the top prize of $200,000 and the opportunity to be mentored by the fashion industry's top designers and executives.

Sharing the runway with fall's leading fashions is the fourth annual Lexus SC Pebble Beach Edition retractable hardtop convertible and the exotic LF-A sports car concept vehicle. The limited edition SC features Pebble Beach badging and a stunning exclusive color combination of smoky granite mica exterior with an exclusive two-tone camel and Ecru leather-trimmed interior, accented with espresso bird's-eye maple wood trim. Lexus remains the sole automotive partner of The Pebble Beach Company and is the preferred vehicle of Pebble Beach Resorts.

"Our relationship with Vogue highlights the affinity between fashion and automotive design," said Deborah Meyer, vice president of marketing for Lexus. "The Lexus Fashion Preview allows us the opportunity to showcase our vehicles next to creations by top talents in the industry. We are proud to partner with Vogue, an international driving force in fashion and culture, and hope we can inspire one another in design and innovation."

Following the fashion show, guests will be feted with an elegant cocktail reception showcasing the Lexus SC Pebble Beach edition, select Lexus vehicles, and a silent auction to benefit CFDA.

The participating 2007 CFDA finalists are: Erin Fetherston of Fetherston Design Group; Phillip Lim of 3.1 Phillip Lim; Rogan's Rogan Gregory; Philip Crangi of Philip Crangi Jewelry; Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders; Threeasfour's Gabriel Asfour; Angela Donhauser, and Adi Gil; Nunthirat Koi Suwannagate of Koi; Vena Cava's Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai; Victoria Bartlett of VPL, and Michael Bastian. Past winners of this prestigious award have included Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough, as well as Lazaro Hernandez and Trouvasta designers John Witledge, Sam Shipley, Josia Lamberto-Ean and Jeff Halmos.

About Lexus

Lexus has become synonymous with luxury since its introduction in 1989. By offering some of the finest quality luxury vehicles and providing benchmark customer service, Lexus has remained the top-selling luxury nameplate in the United States for seven years in a row. Lexus and its 223 dealers have repeatedly achieved high honors for both the products they sell and the customer service they provide.

About the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

Launched in 2004, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is an unprecedented award program that combines a financial prize with business mentoring to promote the next wave of young American talent. The selection process involves narrowing down over hundreds of initial applicants to 10 finalists and ultimately an overall winner and two secondary winners. Prior to final selection, these ten finalists present their work and their business plan to a panel of fashion industry leaders, all of whom put the designers through rigorous questioning, studio visits and fashion presentations.

About Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance takes place annually and is the world's premier automobile show. Every August, automobile aficionados visit the Monterey Peninsula to pay homage to history's finest and most spectacular automotive names.