Electus International Signs Multiple Format Deals, Securing Local Series Commitments For Fashion Star In Asia

Ben Silverman's multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (IACI), today announced that its global distribution arm, Electus International, has licensed the format for Fashion Star, its hit reality fashion competition series, securing local series commitments in Korea (SBS E!), Vietnam (VTV3) as well as being optioned to Endemol in India. Fashion Star is part of an ever-growing Electus slate that will be brought to market for the first time at the Asia Television Forum in December. Earlier this year, Electus International closed a finished tape deal for Fashion Star to premiere across 20 countries in Asia through DIVA Universal. Fashion Star Season 2 will air in Spring 2013 on NBC.

"Asia is an incredibly important market for Electus International, so I'm thrilled to announce that we're kicking off our push into local productions through series commitments of Fashion Star in Korea and Vietnam, said John Pollak, President of Electus International. "Fashion Star is a unique and compelling format that resonates universally as it fuses entertainment with commerce to build the next big fashion brand."

In the original U.S. format, Fashion Star gives unknown designers a life-changing opportunity to win a multi-million dollar contract to launch their clothing lines in Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue - three of the largest retailers in the country. Contestants are put to the test 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. With top fashion experts Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos as their guides and mentors throughout the process, competing designers have to be as adept in the business of fashion as they are in their creativity. Each episode kicks off with an exhilarating fashion show featuring musical performances, dancers, and models in front of a live studio audience. Every fashion show will be built around a weekly challenge that is designed to further develop each designer's brand.

Buyers from the top retailers (Macy's, H&M and Saks Fifth Avenue) serve as the judges, making on-the-spot decisions each week as they bid against each other to purchase the work of these up-and-coming designers. The night following each episode, the winning designs are available online and in retail stores in the U.S. In the end, the designer who most successfully combines fashion and business will become the next "Fashion Star" and receive the prize of a lifetime - an exclusive capsule line in each of the three retailers.

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, Ben Silverman of Electus, Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth of The Magical Elves, Rick Ringbakk of 5x5 Media and EJ Johnston and James Deutch of EJD Productions.  Electus International retains all international distribution rights.