Keeping to its philosophy of following the talent, this time clear across the country, Amazon.com has landed on Kent St. in Williamsburg in a big way.  No sooner had Amazon Fashion opened its 40,000-foot studio, then there was a call for local talent.

Amazon.com Studio Sessions Challenge held on October 19, involved students from four New York City design schools. Their task was to create “campaign-worthy” editorial images showcasing the online behemoth’s fall fashion picks. FIT students from fabric styling, communication and photography all lent their talent.

In one frantic 9 to 5 content day, school teams for menswear and womenswear selected clothes and accessories,  dressed,  styled,  and posed models for photography and design layouts.

“They had to come up with a concept and idea, and come up with a single vision,” says assistant dean  of Art & Design Sass Brown whose enthusiasm ran high for FIT participants and the for the challenge itself.

Teams were judged by a range of high-profile judges on criteria that included art direction, set design and consistency with Amazon fashion branding.

“It felt like a pretty natural evolution for us as we build our fashion business, to anchor it to key outposts where we have access to top talent,” Cathy Beaudoin, president of Amazon Fashion told Women’s Wear Daily.

“The value of participating in an opportunity like this goes beyond the monetary prize,” says photography adviser to the contest Ron Amato, who chairs FIT’s photography department. “It’s really about the experience of engagement.”

The site also “intends to create hundreds of jobs for local talent, from photographers, stylists and models to hair and makeup artists,” said Beaudoin.

The Williamsburg studio location is one of six for Amazon.com and the first in New York state. Although the FIT students didn’t take home a prize, there’s talk of an annual challenge and opportunities for local talent.

Photos courtesy of Amazon.com