(New York) - Franciscan, a leading Napa Valley winery for more than three decades, has announced the winner of the inaugural Franciscan Signature Style Competition, a nationwide competition of emerging fashion designers conducted from February to May 2007. Ariana Massouh, a 2000 graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, was named the winner of the competition at an awards ceremony held in Manhattan on Tuesday, May 15.

Emerging designers who are recent graduates of art and design schools throughout the country submitted creative men's neckwear designs inspired by the signature qualities of Franciscan wines-rich and vibrant, with hand-crafted elegance. Three finalists were selected by a panel of judges including lead judge Thom Browne, Council of Fashion Designers of America's Menswear Designer of the Year for 2006; interior designer and television personality Thom Filicia, host of the Style Network's Dress My Nest; Gerald Andersen, executive director of the Men's Dress Furnishings Association; and Janet Myers, director of winemaking for Franciscan.

Ms. Massouh will receive a $5,000.00 prize and a trip to Napa Valley to visit Franciscan.

"I am honored to be the winner of the first Franciscan Signature Style Competition," said Ms. Massouh. "I welcome this tremendous opportunity to have my work recognized for the first time. As a young designer, I am always looking for new and exciting opportunities to help my growth not only as an artist, but as a person."

The other finalists, Kimberly Batti, of Wyckoff, New Jersey and Charles Sharp, of Chicago, received a trip to New York City to attend the Franciscan Signature Style Awards.

Ms. Batti was also the winner of the "Personal Pick Award," which invited the public to vote for their favorite design among the three finalists at www.franciscanstyle.com. For each vote generated for the Personal Pick Award, Franciscan made a donation to DIFFA: The Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS.

Hot "Knots" - Neckties stand the test of time as men's signature accessory
Fashion trends may come and go, but according to a recent poll conducted by Franciscan, fashion insiders and enthusiasts predict consumers are showing no sign of untying their affinity for the necktie.

Seventy eight percent of respondents polled online and on the street in New York's SoHo and East Village neighborhoods said they consider the necktie the principal accessory for men, outranking cufflinks, belts, wristwatches, and "other jewelry." Sixty seven percent of those polled said they had purchased a tie in the last year for themselves or as a gift, and nearly half of those respondents estimated they had purchased more ties last year than they had in previous years. Most respondents forecasted they would purchase more ties in the future than they had in the previous year.

As ties increase in popularity, respondents say they are breaking away from their reputation as a staple of the nine-to-five business person's "uniform." Only twenty eight percent of survey respondents said the necktie was popular with business people only, with most agreeing that the necktie is an accessory that spans all professions and socioeconomic groups.

Thom Browne concurred, saying "For me, the necktie is an essential part of a man's wardrobe. I hope that Franciscan's competition will bring back even stronger interest in ties and encourage men to wear ties regularly."

Gerald Andersen has spent more than 35 years in the men's accessories industry and is a foremost expert in predicting industry trends. He said the survey results are in line with recent industry forecasts, especially as men are taking the necktie out of the boardroom and onto the street.

"The corporate casual trend of the nineties, while harmful to neckwear in the short term, did the tie a favor by freeing it from the connotation as they symbol of nine to five drudgery," stated Mr. Andersen. "A tie was something you had to put on. Today, and in the future, it is something men want to put on to express themselves and lend flexibility to their wardrobes. New, young designers are coming on to the scene and reinterpreting ties with new ideas, patterns, and color combinations that are reenergizing the entire category."