'Fashion Star' is a new reality competition show premiering tonight on NBC, in which designers will pitch their collections to buyers for H&M, Macy's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Buyers place bids on collections they like with the highest bid claiming the prize.The collection will be available the very next day for you to purchase.

While it may be a fashion competition show pitting designer against designer, model Elle Macpherson said its different from other reality shows like Project Runway because the focus isn't on making clothes but selling them.

The show is somewhat about making clothes, but it's really about selling clothes and what it takes to sell clothes, said Macpherson who serves as the program's producer, host, and mentor. What does your billboard look like? What does your branding look like? How does it look in a shop window? It's a great program and a great way to shop.

And also the thing that's great about these clothes is they're everyday things we can all wear, they're jeans and t-shirts, she added. She wanted a show that would capitalize on interactive capabilities and technology so that people can actually buy what they're seeing immediately,

That's new, and very relevant to where we are today.

'Fashion Star' highlights how difficult it is for designers starting out to get their clothes into stores. Unknown designers can't get loans to fund their collections and, increasingly, retailers are relying on big names to get customers to spend. But that's not a worry for the contestants on the show. The winner of 'Fashion Star' will receive $6 million to start his or her collection.

Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos serve as mentors to the 14 contestants. The contestants were picked from a nationwide search and have a variety of experience that doesn't necessarily involve the runway . Each week the designers will be challenged to make a different article of clothing that is either menswear or womenswear inspired.

'Fashion Star' premieres tonight on NBC at 9:30/8:30c.

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