Erin Smith, MauiTime Voted Best Musician on Maui, to Perform at the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii

HONOLULU - May 30, 2013 - PRLog -- Scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 6th, 2013 the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii will be the place to be for fashion lovers, featuring some of Hawaii's favorite emerging fashion designers taking to the runway to raise awareness on the importance of arts education for Hawaii's youth. Benefiting arts programs offered by Afterschool ART (www.AfterschoolARTHawaii.org), guests will enjoy live music performances, delicious cuisine and cocktails, and partake in a powerful networking opportunity designed to spotlight rising talent. The 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii will be hosted by 2013 Mrs. Hawaii US winner Anjanette Lowe.

No one ever forgets the first time they see or hear Erin Smith (www.erinsmith808.com), a cosmic and infectious energy that paralyzes your being and keeps you thirsting for more. No stranger to style, Smith comes armed with her signature red lipsticks, high heels, faux furs, Steven Tyler scarves & guitar. Her powerful voice is a force to be reckoned with and often drives comparison to Adele, Florence & The Machine, Alicia Keys, Chrissy Hynde from The Pretenders and Karen O from The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. However, make no mistake, there is only one Erin Smith and she will rock you. In the winter of 2012 Erin received an opportunity to travel to Montreal and record a solo album with a production team involved in Arcade Fire’s critically acclaimed album “Funeral” (2011 Grammy for Album of the Year). Her new solo album, “Best Disaster”, allows her to showcase a more indie-rock, vulnerable and torchy sound. The album is set to be released in the summer of 2013.

Currently Erin can be found in her Kailua beach cottage focusing on her new solo sound and writing her new weekly column:“Heels Curls & Picks” for the Hawaii Entertainment website Fruit Punch Hawaii. With all the media buzz surrounding Smith’s upcoming album she is enjoying this downtime writing new songs and traveling around the Hawaiian Islands for local events & music festivals. Sky is the limit, and Smith only just boarded the plane.

Several awards will be presented to individuals and businesses that have positively affected Hawaii's fashion community. Three celebrity judges, all of which are local Honolulu favorites, will chose one of the presenting designers to receive the coveted Fashion Front Award, which includes a 1-year public relations contract with New York based firm Lawrence Blake Group Int'l, a retail sales contract, and fun prizes from event partners. Guest panel of celebrity judges and live music performances to be announced shortly.

Presenting designers at the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii include earth centered fashion venture Urban Gypsy (www.urbangypsyfashion.com), Polynesian fashion experts Missing Polynesia (www.missingpolynesia.com), innovative graphic, interior, and now fashion designer Unleash Studio (www.unleashstudio.com), popular swimwear brand Honey Girl Water Wear (www.honeygirlwaterwear.com), and Tahitian inspired designer Tiare Teiti (www.tiareteiti.com). Local business leaders will be honored for their work to encourage and support local artists. Honorees include founder of Afterschool ART Hawaii Bob Grossman PhD., founder of iKandy.com Christina Patino, founder of Kim Taylor Reece Studio Kim Taylor Reece (www.kimtaylorreece.com), founder of Roberta Oaks Hawaii Roberta Oaks (www.robertaoaks.com), and founder of Groove Child Charities Lance Tsuchiya (www.groovechildcharities.org), founder of Summer Style Hawaii Summer Shiigi (www.summerstylehawaii.com), and co-founder of thirtyninehotel Gelareh Khoie (www.thirtyninehotel.com).

Afterschool ART was founded by Dr. Bob Grossmann in 2004, after having the opportunity to be briefed by staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health agencies, when he served as a Fellow for then Secretary of Health, Donna Shalala (1995-1996). He has found that youth respond to programs that bring quality art supplies and professional artists to where the youth-at-risk live and learn. Dr. Grossmann has confirmed to speak at the 2013 Fashion Front Awards Hawaii, discussing the vitality of community support for arts education programs for Hawaii at-risk youth.

"Afterschool Art helps to ease the burden of tight budgets in elementary, middle and highschool systems by creating and funding art programs for the students. Afterschool Art's programs create opportunities for expression, creativity, and thoughtfulness about the world through the learning and making of art." Travis Sasaki, University of Hawaii recent graduate.

The 2013 Fashion Front Awards will be hosted at Honolulu's thirtyninehotel (www.thirtyninehotel.com), an internationally recognized Chinatown art gallery and award-winning cocktail bar. thirtyninehotel is located at 39 N Hotel St Honolulu, HI 96817. The 2013 Fashion Front Awards begins at 8 PM. Early arrival is suggested. Guests may RSVP for this event by e-mail FashionRSVP@LawrenceBlake.com. Press may RSVP by e-mailing HonoluluPress@LawrenceBlake.com. A portion of ticket sales will directly benefit local programs through Afterschool ART Hawaii.

To learn more about the 2013 Fashion Front Awards please visit http://FashionFront.LawrenceBlake.com. The 2013 Fashion Front Awards is hosted by Lawrence Blake Group Int’l (www.LawrenceBlake.com), rising New York based corporate communications firm. A spokesperson from Afterschool ART, participating designers, and celebrity guest judges will be available for live interviews. For information please contact L. Blake Harvey, 646.481.8237, Fashion@LawrenceBlake.com. Follow Lawrence Blake Group Int’l on Twitter and Facebook for event updates. www.Twitter.com/LawrenceBlakePR. www.Facebook.com/LawrenceBlakeGroup.