Fashion Star: A new twist on shopping

NBC may be setting new rating records with their new show "Fashion Star". The reality television series puts a new twist on designer fashions. It focuses on fourteen up-and-coming designers embarking on a journey to win the ultimate prize: a chance to launch their own fashion line. The show stars  John Varvatos, Jessica Simpson, and Nicole Richie as mentors for the fashion designers, Jeannie Mai as the digital correspondent and former supermodel Elle Macpherson as the host. 

The fashion buyers on the show are Caprice Williard from Macy's, Nicole Christie from H & M, and Terron Schaefer from Saks Fifth Ave.

So this is how the show works: Designers get a chance to put their designs on models as they walk the catwalk to persuade buyers to make an offer to get their product to be featured in their store for purchasing to masses. These buyers will bid on the clothing they see with the highest bidder taking the item.The twist is the clothing item will LITERALLY be available the next day to buy either in the retail store or online. If no bids are offered, that designer could be eliminated from the show. Watch today, buy tomorrow. Now this concept I can live with. One word: CREATIVE! A much needed twist to reality shows to break away from singing competitions.

Featured last night was 28 year old Detroit-native Nzimiro Oputa. His winning design was bought by clothing retailer H &M and was immediately available today. It retails for $49.95. 

Oputa received $50,000 from H&M for his sports jacket for men. Today he was also at the H&M store off 55th in NYC signing autographs and doing press for his line. 

For Nzimiro's sports jacket you can go to www.hm.com/fashionstar to view and PURCHASE it. This is a fun way to get your hands on some H&M styles without having to travel hundreds of miles. Yup you heard that right, for the time being you can purchase the H & M winning designs if you don't live in an area within store limits. Now, let’s all make a little wish that once the show ends that H&M REALLY launches an online store as they've announced!

Fashion Star airs on NBC on Tuesday nights at 10pm EST. I'll be watching.... will you?