About Ashley Lauren Kerr

Ashley Lauren Kerr grew up in Old Orchard Beach, Maine and spent summers working at her family’s restaurants. From a very young age, she enjoyed fashion and was inspired by her mother and great aunt's classic fashion sense. After graduating high school, she wanted to go to fashion school, but was urged to complete business school first. After graduating from Stetson University, she moved back to Maine to manage her family businesses.

In 2008 at the urging of her best friend Jessica Rafalowski (Miss Florida USA at the time), she decided to compete for the Miss Maine USA title. Ashley found herself training with winning international pageant coach Grace Fontecha and being dressed by Puerto Rican designer Carlos Alberto.

With her “go big or go home” attitude, Ashley came to the 2008 Miss Maine Pageant with exceptional grace and beauty. Although she didn’t take home the crown, her fun and caring personality won her the Miss Congeniality award and provided the catalyst for her current business.

Eager to work in the fashion business, Ashley started representing Carlos Alberto in the United States and quickly built his brand by sponsoring for him the 2009 Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. As the Official Fashions Sponsor, Ashley developed relationships with pageant glitterati and established her reputation as the go-to girl for the best pageant dresses -- Latin haute couture designers who specialize in bridal, red carpet, pageant and jewelry attire.

Over the past 2 years she has added top Venezuelan, Peruvian and Puerto Rican designers to her exclusive group, opened a showroom in New York and Beijing and carved out her own niche business in the fashion world. In fall 2011, she will launch SCALA by ASHLEYlauren, a prom, pageant, evening and cocktail dress line.

As a young entrepreneur, Ashley manages her company’s operations, where she is highly sought after by young women around the country and world to dress, prepare and train them for the Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss Universe, Miss America, Miss World and Miss International pageants. Ashley also operates her showroom in New York City where each of her designers’ fashion and jewelry collections are displayed. She frequently travels around the United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean to meet with retailers and designers, to judge pageant competitions and grow her business.

In her spare time, Ashley writes on her blog, ALK Style Blog, giving all the best makeup, fashion and pageant secrets she has learned while working with top pageant designers, coaches, make-up and hair artists, photographers and directors internationally.