BERNINA of America Recognizes BERNINA Fashion Fund Recipient During Runways & Gallery Event at Austin Fashion Week

AURORA, IL--(Marketwired - Apr 22, 2016) - BERNINA of America, the premier manufacturer of sewing, embroidery and quilting machines, recognized Samantha Plasencia as the BERNINA Fashion Fund Recipient at Thursday night's Runways & Gallery event at Austin Fashion Week. During the event, Samantha was presented with a BERNINA 330 (B 330) sewing machine and the new BERNINA L 450 Overlocker, scheduled to be introduced this summer. Both machines together are valued at $2,600. The BERNINA Fashion Fund is a partnership between BERNINA and Austin Fashion Week that was established in 2014 to support local emerging designers who show incredible talent.

"We are pleased to recognize Samantha with a BERNINA 330 sewing machine and the new BERNINA L 450 Overlocker that will be available at BERNINA Dealers this summer," said Amy Gutierrez, Director of Marketing for BERNINA of America. "These entry-level machines are perfect companions that will enable Samantha to design and produce new collections with ease and precision. BERNINA values the creativity of talented young designers like Samantha, who are truly the future of up-and-coming fashion and style."

The B 330 is an entry-level sewing machine that offers a broad variety of stitches, a generous long-term memory with 30 free locations for stitch creations, a built-in needle threader, LED sewing light, and an automatic buttonhole function. For more information, visit www.bernina.com/3series.

The L 450 Overlocker, a new entry-level machine that will be introduced in summer 2016, boasts 1,200 stitches a minute and a number of innovative features including a patented Micro Thread Control (MTC), LED sewing light for the needle and looper area, thread tension release with presser foot lift, and a 5-step Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment. Additionally, the L 450 Overlocker has the patented BERNINA Front Foot Lift, which enables sewist to easily position and guide bulky projects and multiple layers of fabric. For more information, www.bernina.com/overlocker.

"I am honored to have been chosen as the BERNINA Fashion Fund Recipient and to receive two amazing BERNINA machines, the B 330 sewing machine and L450 Overlocker," said Samantha Plasencia. "I can't wait to start using my new BERNINA's and feel so lucky to be one of the first people to use the L 450. The innovative features and functionality I now have at my fingertips will allow me to create quality designs with flare."

Samantha is a graduate of the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio and a former Project Runway contestant. She started as an Avant-garde designer who created Gothic wearable art. In order to attract a larger market and wider audience, she has since taken a more ready-to-wear approach. Her urban chic mixed with a bit of edge turns heads of many. For more information about the Designer, visit www.samanthaplasencia.com.

About BERNINA
Founded in Switzerland more than 100 years ago, BERNINA is the world's premier manufacturer with a proven reputation for offering quality state-of-the-art sewing, quilting and embroidery machines, overlockers, and embroidery software. BERNINA's leadership is marked by an impressive number of ambassadors, industry leaders, influencers and bloggers, who chose to partner with the company. BERNINA products are sold in the United States through a network of over 400 fully trained independent dealerships that also offer support and education. Select BERNINA and bernette machines, and BERNINA software can also be purchased through BERNINA's eCommerce site, shop.bernina.com. BERNINA products are designed for beginning to advanced sewists and priced to meet a variety of budgets, with new products being introduced every year. You can follow BERNINA on Facebook: www.facebook.com/berninausa, Instagram: @BERNINAUSA, and Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/WeAllSew, and read BERNINA's WeAllSew blog at www.weallsew.com. To learn more about BERNINA and to find a Dealer, visit www.bernina.com or call (630)978-2500.