maurices: Voting opens for nationwide model search

Contact: Brittney Hanson, brittney.hanson@westmorelandflint.com 218.727.1552

People will vote online to decide who advances in maurices Main Street Model Search

Duluth, Minn. – Women from across the country have entered maurices Main Street Model Search, competing to be among 12 finalists chosen to model for maurices in upcoming fall, holiday and spring clothing campaigns. The top 12 models will each receive a photo shoot at an iconic fashion shoot destination and national exposure at maurices locations, http://www.maurices.com, mailers and social media. They will also be awarded a $1,500 maurices gift card and a $7,500 charitable makeover for a nonprofit in their hometowns.

This is the second year the national women’s clothing retailer has held the contest. The next stage in the 2012 search is online voting, which will trim the more than 1,500 entries to the top 100.

“We were impressed by the more than 48,000 voters that participated last year and hope to see just as many, if not more, this year,” said Brad Hartmann, maurices vice president of marketing. “We’re inviting everyone, whether they know a contestant or not, to help us find the next maurices Main Street Models by voting for contestants they feel represent what the maurices brand is all about: fashion, fun and giving back.”

Now through March 19, people can visit http://www.mauricesmainstreetmodel.com to view the contestants and vote once per day for their favorite. Contestants are searchable by name, hometown, state, college, occupation and more. Every time a person votes, they will receive a surprise coupon offer from maurices and be entered for a chance to win as much as $1,000 in maurices gift cards.

Following the online voting, the top 100 contestants will create videos about why they should be a maurices Main Street Model. maurices will then select 20 of these women to attend a casting call in Minneapolis, Minn., the week of April 16. A judging panel from maurices, including a celebrity judge and stylist Christopher Straub from Lifetime’s “Project Runway,” will select the 12 winners, who will be announced on April 23.

For more information, visit maurices.com, facebook.com/maurices or mauricesmainstreetmodel.com .

maurices Main Street Model Search 2012 Timeline

Online voting: Now through March 19
Voters help narrow the search to 100 contestants, with each of their votes earning them a surprise coupon offer from maurices, plus a chance to win as much as $1,000 in gift cards.

Meet the top 100 contestants: March 20
maurices reveals the voters’ top 100 choices.

Video submission: March 20 – 27
The top 100 contestants create and submit a video that tells why they should be a maurices Main Street Model.

Introducing the top 20: April 2
Judging panel reveals the top 20 contestants.

Casting call: Week of April 16
Top 20 finalists are brought to Minneapolis, Minn., for a casting call with a panel of judges that includes Christopher Straub from Season Six of Lifetime’s “Project Runway.”

And the winners are: April 23
maurices will introduce the 12 winners of maurices Main Street Model Search 2012.

About maurices
maurices, a division of Ascena Retail Group, Inc. (NASDAQ – ASNA), is the leading hometown specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious girl with a twenty-something attitude. Today, maurices operates 800 stores in 44 states. maurices stands for fashion, quality, value and customer service. Offering sizes 1-26 in select stores and online, our styles are inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. For store information and to shop online, visit maurices.com .