NBC'S POPULAR DESIGN COMPETITION SERIES "FASHION STAR" ANNOUNCES CASTING CITIES WHERE THE SEARCH BEGINS FOR THE NEXT BIG STYLE SENSATION

Casting Calls to Find 12 Best Innovative Designers for Season 2 Begin Saturday, June 30 in Los Angeles

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - June 20, 2012 - NBC's popular reality competition series "Fashion Star" is kicking-off its search for the 12 best innovative designers for its second season. Casting calls will begin in seven major U.S. cities - Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco and Miami beginning June 30 in Los Angeles and continuing into July to discover the next big brand in fashion.

The series gives designers the chance to win a multi-million dollar contract to launch their own collections in three of America's largest retailers. In its premiere season, the show crowned Kara Laricks the first winner of "Fashion Star." Laricks wowed mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos and won more than $6 million in collection deals with Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and H&M. Her clothes are currently on sale at those retailers.

Season 2 casting call locations and dates are listed below (all times local):

LOS ANGELES
Saturday, June 30
FIDM - Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
919 S. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

NEW YORK CITY
Saturday, July 14
TRYP Times Square South
345 W 35th Street
New York
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

DALLAS
Sunday, July 15
MACY'S - Northpark Center
8687 North Central Expressway
Dallas
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

ATLANTA
Saturday, July 21
MACY'S - Perimeter Mall
4300 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd.
Atlanta
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday, July 21
MACY'S - Union Square
170 O'Farrell Street
San Francisco
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

CHICAGO
Sunday, July 22
MACY'S
111 N. State Street
Chicago
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

MIAMI
Saturday, July 28
MACY'S - Downtown
22 E. Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33131
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Additional open call information, including what to bring and how to audition is available at: www.FASHIONSTARCASTING.com, on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FashionStarCasting and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FashionStar_NBC.

"Fashion Star" puts contestants to the test each week to see how they react in a variety of real-world scenarios to determine who has the vision and desire to build a fashion empire and achieve their dream. With top experts as their guides and mentors throughout the process, designers will have to be as aware of the business aspect of fashion as they are of creativity. To further benefit designers, the series allows viewers at home to buy the winning designs each week, adding an exciting twist to fashion competitions. In the end, one designer will successfully combine fashion and business to become the next "Fashion Star" and win a multi-million dollar prize to exclusively sell their entire fashion line in three of the biggest retailers in the world.

The "Fashion Star" format was developed by Ben Silverman of Electus (NBC's "The Biggest Loser," "The Office" and "The Tudors"), Rick Ringbakk of Emmy Award-winning 5x5 Media ("Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution"), and E.J. Johnston and James Deutch of EJD Productions.

The show is executive-produced by Elle Macpherson, Silverman of Electus, Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth of The Magical Elves, Rick Ringbakk of 5x5 Media and E.J. Johnston and James Deutch of EJD Productions. Electus/Engine Distribution will retain all international distribution rights.

For embeddable clips and full episodes from "Fashion Star," please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/fashionstar/

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