Famous Footwear™ Hosts Fashion's Night Out Casting Call Event With Celebrity Designer INDASHIO, America's Next Top Model® Winner CariDee English

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Famous Footwear™, a brand of Brown Shoe Company, Inc. (NYSE: BWS) (www.brownshoe.com), will make Fashion's Night Out famous for one aspiring runway model.  

During the third annual Fashion's Night Out on September 8, Famous Footwear will host a model casting call from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at its midtown Manhattan store, located at 250 W. 34th St. near Seventh Avenue.  Special guests INDASHIO, celebrity designer and winner of VH1's Glam God* reality show, and America's Next Top Model®** winner CariDee English will manage the event, during which each model will show his or her runway walk in the center of the store.  One individual selected during the casting call event earns a coveted spot on the runway during INDASHIO's September 13 New York Fashion Week show, sporting looks from his spring 2012 collection.  

"We make every day famous for our customers by delivering compelling value, nationally recognized brands and convenient, easy-to-shop stores; now we are giving one aspiring model a chance at fame in a high-profile New York Fashion Week runway show.  Fashion's Night Out is about putting fun back into shopping, and this casting call event will create excitement for all our customers, as well as a tremendous opportunity for one individual," said Famous Footwear senior vice president-Marketing Will Smith.  

The casting call is open to male and female models of all experience levels ages 15 to 25, with registration taking place on-site beginning at 5:30 p.m.  INDASHIO and CariDee will see up to 200 contestants, with additional opportunities as time permits.  A minimum of one individual from the casting call event will be selected for INDASHIO's runway show, but INDASHIO reserves the right to choose additional models at his discretion.  Participants must be available for INDASHIO's New York Fashion week runway show on September 13 at the Audi Forum at 9 p.m.

"We are seeking unique looks and talents to feature in my New York Fashion Week show, a passionate individual who embodies the aspirational essence of my designs," said INDASHIO.

About Fashion's Night Out

Fashion's Night Out is an unprecedented global initiative created in 2009 in a partnership between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company, and the City of New York to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy, and put the fun back in shopping.

About INDASHIO

Starting at the age of 19, INDASHIO has made a name for himself around the world. One of the youngest designers ever to show during New York Fashion Week, the designer has received international acclaim, including winning VH1's Glam God series hosted by Vivica A. Fox.

Now INDASHIO is an international fashion house based in New York City. Its unique luxury style has attracted many celebrities, socialites and fashionistas. A Fashion Week favorite, INDASHIO has become a mainstay on the fashion calendar and is one of the most talked about shows at New York Fashion Week.

Celebrities that adore INDASHIO include Amber Rose, Aubrey O'Day, Eve, Kelis, Kim Kardashian, Selita Ebanks, Shontelle, Tyra Banks, and Vanessa Carlton—just to name a few. INDASHIO's countless celebrity clients and TV appearances have made him the fashion industry's one-to-watch. indashio.com.

About CariDee English

In 2001, CariDee English signed with the Academie Agencie in Fargo, North Dakota and that sparked the modeling career she has treasured so much. She entered the Millie Lewis Actors Models and Talent Competition in 2002 and was placed with Mega Models in Miami Florida for the summer of 2003.  After her experience, she needed time to figure out her next move and returned to Fargo at the end of the summer.

In December 2006, she was accepted as a contestant for cycle 7 of Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model.  She competed and won the prize of $100,000, contract with Elite Models, a six-page fashion editorial in Seventeen magazine and a contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics.  Once the competition was over, CariDee was given the opportunities to appear on CW's One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl.  

Her modeling career has allowed her to appear on the covers of Seventeen, Social Life, Healthy Living Psoriasis Advance, and Cover magazines with Top Model alumnae Naima Mora and Danielle Evans. She has modeled for Wedding Style, JC Penney Bisou Bisou, Stephenson Denim, Johnny P. Shoes, American Salon, Matrix Professional Colors in Cosmopolitan and the "Heart On My Sleeves" clothing campaign by Aubrey O'Day of Danity Kane and Christian Siriano Fall 09. She was in the Winter 2007 issue of Knit.1 Magazine, the February 2007 issue she was featured on Seventeen, the March 2007 issue of In Touch, the Spring 2007 issue of Social Life, the April 2007 issue of Cover, on the cover of "Inked Magazine" for Fall 2007, Loops&Pluto, Short Hair Magazine the cover of Runway Magazine, ads for Melissa Latkins t-shirts, Tasola Beauty & Beyond, and has been featured on ivillage.com. She also shot a cover of Allure, and has done charity print work for the NOH8 Campaign.

Her passions don't stop with music.  She is a spokesperson for the National Psoriasis Foundation, spreading awareness about psoriasis and encouraging others to seek treatment. CariDee has also taken part in the fight against seal hunting and is an animal rights activist.

About Famous Footwear

Famous Footwear is a leading family branded footwear destination, with more than 1,100 stores nationwide and e-commerce site FamousFootwear.com. The chain offers consumers more than 100 nationally recognized brands through its retail stores and website, including Nike, Skechers, Naturalizer, Puma, Steve Madden, Converse, New Balance, DC, Rocket Dog and Carlos by Carlos Santana, and features a broad assortment of fitness footwear from brands like Skechers, Reebok, Avia and ryka.  A proud national partner of the March of Dimes, the retailer sponsors March for Babies walk events nationwide. Famous Footwear is operated by the retail subsidiary of Brown Shoe Company, Inc. (NYSE: BWS), a $2.7 billion global retailer and wholesaler of footwear. For more information, visit www.famousfootwear.com and www.brownshoe.com.

* VH1 and GLAM GODS are trademarks owned by New Viacom International Corp. and are not affiliated with or a sponsor of Brown Shoe Company, Inc. or Famous Footwear.

 **AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL is a registered trademark owned by Pottle Productions Inc. and is not affiliated with or a sponsor of Brown Shoe Company, Inc. or Famous Footwear.

SOURCE Famous Footwear