LEICA CAMERA AND MILK STUDIOS PARTNER FOR MADE SPRING 2012 FASHION WEEK

Allendale, NJ (September 09, 2011) – Leica Camera, Inc., the legendary German camera manufacturer, has been selected by Milk Studios, the premiere photo studios for advertising and editorial fashion shoots, to be the official camera company for MADE Spring 2012 Fashion Week. Throughout the week, MADE will host 35 fashion shows and presentations at Milk Studios with Leica cameras capturing official runway photography. These images, along with commissions, will be featured in original and exclusive editorial content on MilkMade.com, Milk’s editorial platform and Fashion Week hub as well as Leica and Milk’s social media channels.

“Leica Camera is excited to participate in MADE Spring 2012 Fashion Week,” said Christian Erhardt, Vice President of Marketing at Leica Camera, Inc. “Leica’s state-of-the-art cameras combined with MilkMade.com’s innovative editorial platform will offer an almost instantaneous and unique perspective of Fashion Week from behind the scenes to the runway.”

All runway shows presented at Milk Studios will be shot by MADE’s in-house photographers at the Billy Farrell Agency using Leica’s innovative 37.5 megapixel S2, a completely new digital camera concept that meets supreme professional requirements. Additionally, a community of photographers, artists and partners will shoot commissions at Milk during Fashion Week using the Leica S2 as well as the Leica M9, the world’s first digital full-frame rangefinder camera. The X1, Leica’s digital compact camera equipped with a 12.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor and outstanding Leica Elmarit 1:2.8/24 mm lens, will also be utilized. Live uploads presented by Leica on MilkMade.com will offer an unprecedented look at MADE and New York Fashion week from the initial model fittings to after parties.

“This partnership is representative of what MADE is all about – a movement that incorporates art and fashion and creativity at the highest levels – and now we can capture it all using the best cameras in the world.  It allows us to tap into our community of creative to showcase a range of styles and approaches to photography, and is in keeping with Milk’s commitment to supporting emerging talent in the photography industry.” – Mazdack Rassi, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Milk Studios.

The partnership between Leica Camera and Milk Studios serves to further advance the evolution of New York’s Fashion Week. Particularly well suited for fashion photography, the Leica S2 has opened a new chapter in photography. A versatile camera that can be used quickly and spontaneously, it delivers the highest image quality and ensures maximum creativity. Numerous iconic fashion campaigns have been captured with the S2, making it the perfect complement to Milk’s support of designers and the fashion community. Standing at the crossroads of fashion, photography, art and media, Milk Studios has been the home of legendary photographers including Bruce Weber, Craig McDean, David Sims and Terry Richardson and Milk Gallery has hosted shows by Mick Rock, Rankin and Sam Haskins. Since opening its doors in 1998, Milk Studios has consistently demonstrated its impact on the fashion industry in an innovative environment. Designers slated to show during MADE Spring 2012 Fashion Week  include Sophie Theallet, Peter Som, Costello Tagliapietra, Suno, Jeremy Laing, Simon Spurr and Jeremy Scott, among others. Milk Studios is located at 450 West 15^th Street in New York City.