Fashion Star mentors Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos, and Nicole Richie stand with new host Louise Roe – Photo – NBC
Fashion Star executive producer Ben Silverman recently shared his stylish thoughts on the second season of the popular NBC fashion reality series.
After a successful premiere on NBC in 2012, Fashion Star returned to the airwaves last week for a second competitive season of high-priced buying, selling and designing with new host Louise Roe who replaces Elle Macpherson. Only months after former schoolteacher Kara Laricks won the first season, 13 new designers compete for the multi-million dollar prize of launching their original collections in three of the nation’s largest fashion retailers.
During a recent conference call with Fashion Star executive producer, Ben Silverman, it was revealed that a few changes were made to build upon the show’s success.
“We obviously felt the buyers really playing the game worked amazing,” said Silverman to The Deadbolt. “And when you see this season, it’s even more competitive with the buyers and I just think the audience is more and more interested in real-world dynamics and shows that have real-world results and application.”
As fans saw last season on Fashion Star, the buyers made for their own unique fashion related drama when bidding for the designers’ styles each week. Although H&M took part in the premiere season of Fashion Star last year, specialty fashion retailer Express joined Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue as the third buyer this season.
“You’ll see in this season that level of competitive giving and buying is exceptional,” added Ben Silverman about the competitive nature of the buyers.
With Express on board as a new buyer for the second season, Silverman and the Fashion Star team were keen to make the show even better for consumers of both television and fashion.
“I felt that we needed to get our mentors more heavily invested and connected to the process,” said Silverman, who also executive produces The Office and co-created The Biggest Loser, “and also create a little bit of a dynamic between the buyers and the mentors. So we brought them physically closer together. But the big change this year is the mentors actually have teams and are actively participating with specific designers week in, week out and giving them not only advice but also working with them to try and lobby and get the stores to buy their products and their clothes.”
Interestingly, as Fashion Star evolves, the new changes connect the buyers and mentors with designers in more dramatic but rewarding ways.
“It’s really a more dynamic and dramatic show,” Silverman continued, “with deeper rooting interests that connect Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos more profoundly to the contestants but also puts them at a little bit of odds with the buyers in terms of being now aggressively lobbying or pushing them on behalf of their contestants.”
Fashion Star airs Friday nights at 8/7c on NBC.
