Abbreviation | CFDA |
---|---|
Formation | 1962 |
Founder | Eleanor Lambert |
Type | Trade association |
Legal status | Nonprofit organization |
Purpose | To strengthen the impact of American fashion in the global economy |
Location | |
Fields | Fashion |
Membership (2019) | 484 [1] |
Chairman | Thom Browne |
CEO | Steven Kolb |
Website | cfda |
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA), founded in 1962 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, [2] and headquartered in Manhattan, is a not-for-profit trade association comprising a membership of over 450 American fashion and accessory designers. The organization promotes American designers in the global economy.
In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, the organization develops future American design talent through scholarships and resources in high schools, colleges, and postgraduate schools. The CFDA also provides funding and business opportunities for working designers. Through the CFDA Foundation, the organization supports charitable causes.
The first president of the CFDA was Sydney Wragge [3] (1962–1965). Steven Kolb has been the CEO since 2006. As of January 2023, Thom Browne is the group's chairman; he follows Tom Ford, who served as chairman for three years. Additionally, Diane von Furstenberg served as chairman for 13 years from 2006 until 2019. [4]
These people founded the CFDA in 1962:
The CFDA Fashion Awards were founded in 1980 with the first awards given in 1981. They honor and showcase excellence in fashion design. [8] The CFDA Fashion Awards were created by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. They have been called "the Oscars of fashion". [9] [10] Prior to the establishment of the CFDA Awards, the Coty Awards fulfilled a similar role until they ended in 1985, with the final Coty Awards bestowed in September 1984. [11] [12] In 1997, the CFDA Fashion Awards made a decision to open the doors to young and upcoming designers. [13] [14]
Nominations are submitted by the Fashion Guild, a group of over 1,500 CFDA members including fashion editors, retailers, and stylists. [15] Award winners are determined by vote and announced at an annual black tie event held in Manhattan. Award winners receive a trophy made by the New York firm Society Awards. [16]
A number of honorary awards are also presented on the night. As of 2023 these include the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, named for the four-time CFDA Fashion Award winner; the Media Award, given in honor of Eugenia Sheppard, the influential New York Herald Tribune journalist; the Founders Award, given in honor of CFDA founder Eleanor Lambert; The Board of Director’s Tribute Award; the International Award, and the Fashion Icon award, which was first introduced in 2010.
For the 2022 and 2023 editions, Amazon Fashion sponsored the event. [17] [18]
The CFDA Awards have been given out since 1981. [19] The 1981 awards were given out at the first annual CFDA awards ceremony on January 14, 1982 at a dinner in the New York Public Library. [20] [21] The winners had been announced two months before the ceremony [20] which was originally scheduled for a television extravaganza in the fall of 1981. [21] CFDA president Bill Blass had set off controversy when he announced that all of the nominees will be named winners to avoid televising designers as they lose awards. [21] [22] In response, nominee Geoffrey Beene rejected the award and said, "The industry needs a major award for its merit, not its emotion.” [22]
In 1984, James Galanos received the first CFDA "Lifetime Achievement Award," [23] which the CFDA named after after Geoffrey Beene. [24] At the 1984 awards, Bill Blass presented the "Eugenia Sheppard fashion award" to Earl Blackwell and said it would be given annually "for outstanding contribution to fashion journalism." [25] However, Etta Froio, editor of Women's Wear Daily and W , who won the "Eugenia Sheppard award" in 1986, was later credited as the first recipient of the award. [26] [27] Stephen Sprouse received the CFDA "Best New Designer" award in 1984 [28] for his use of intense color and the new energy he brought to fashion. [23]
The CFDA's first "Perry Ellis Award" for new fashion talent was given to David Cameron in 1986, the award was named after the former council president who died that year. [29] [26] [30] The CFDA`s first international award was reportedly given to Christian Lacroix in 1986 for his influence on current fashion. [26] [31] However, Yves Saint Laurent had received a special award for worldwide influence at the 1981 awards [21] (purportedly named "International Fashion Award"); [32] Karl Lagerfeld won "Outstanding designer outside the United States" for the 1982 awards; [33] [34] and Issey Miyake and Giorgio Armani were the international winners for the 1983 awards. [35]
Year | Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award | Womenswear Designer | Menswear Designer | Accessory Designer | Emerging Talent Award | International Award | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1981 | none | Geoffrey Beene; Perry Ellis; Calvin Klein (tie) | Jhane Barnes; Ralph Lauren; Alexander Julian (tie) | Barry Kieselstein-Cord (jewelry); Alex Mate and Lee Brooks (costume jewelry); Nancy Knox (men's shoes) (special awards for each) | none | Yves Saint Laurent | [21] [32] |
1982 | none | Norma Kamali | Perry Ellis | none | none | Karl Lagerfeld for Chloé | [33] [34] |
1983 | none | Calvin Klein | Perry Ellis | Patricia Underwood (hats) | none | Issey Miyake; Giorgio Armani | [35] |
1984 | James Galanos | none | none | none | Stephen Sprouse | none | [23] [28] |
1985 | Katharine Hepburn | Donna Karan | none | ||||
1986 | Bill Blass; Marlene Dietrich | Geoffrey Beene - outstanding American Designer of the Year | none | David Cameron | Christian Lacroix | [26] [36] | |
1987 | Giorgio Armani | Ronaldus Shamask | Marc Jacobs | ||||
1988 | Richard Avedon; Nancy Reagan | Bill Robinson | |||||
1989 | Oscar de la Renta | Isaac Mizrahi | Joseph Abboud | [37] |
Other awards:
Reportedly the CFDA's first "International Award" was given to Gianni Versace in 1992 [41] [42] although it was previously reported that Christian Lacroix received the CFDA's first international award in 1986 [26] [31] and that Yves Saint Laurent received a CFDA international award in 1981. [21] [32] Princess Diana attended the awards in January 1995 to present a special award to her friend Elizabeth Tilberis, the British-born Editor-in-Chief of Harper's Bazaar. [43] [44] [45]
In 1997, for the first time, the CFDA did not release all of the award winners before the awards ceremony. The nominees of the "Perry Ellis Awards" were announced at a press conference in November 1997 but the winners were not named until the February 1998 awards ceremony. [46] [47] In 1999, the date of the event was changed from January to June [20] when the awards were televised for the first time, as the 18th Annual American Fashion Awards on E! Entertainment Television, marking the beginning of a five-year partnership with General Motors. [48] [49]
Year | Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award | Womenswear Designer | Menswear Designer | Accessory Designer | Perry Ellis Award for New Talent | International Award | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | Martha Graham | Donna Karan | Joseph Abboud | Manolo Blahnik | Christian Francis Roth | none | [50] |
1991 | Ralph Lauren | Isaac Mizrahi | Roger Forsythe for Perry Ellis | Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel | Todd Oldham | none | [51] [52] [53] |
1992 | Pauline Trigère | Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis | Donna Karan | Chrome Hearts | Anna Sui | Gianni Versace ( Italy ) | [41] [42] |
1993 | Judith Leiber and Polly Allen Mellen | Calvin Klein | Calvin Klein | none | Richard Tyler (womenswear); John Bartlett (menswear) | Prada (accessories) ( Italy ) | [54] [55] [56] |
1994 | Carrie Donovan, Bernadine Morris, and Nonnie Moore | Richard Tyler | none | Robert Lee Morris (womenswear); Gene Meyer (menswear) | Victor Alfaro and Cynthia Rowley (tie) (womenswear); Robert Massimo Freda (menswear) | none | [45] [30] [57] |
1995 | Hubert de Givenchy | Ralph Lauren | Tommy Hilfiger | Hush Puppies | Marie-Anne Oudejans for Tocca (womenswear); Richard Tyler and Richard Edwards (by Richard Bengtsson and Edward Pavlick) (tie) (menswear); Kate Spade (accessories) | Tom Ford for Gucci | [58] [30] |
1996 | Arnold Scaasi | Donna Karan | Ralph Lauren | Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co | Daryl Kerrigan for Daryl K (womenswear); Gene Meyer (menswear); Kari Sigerson and Miranda Morrison for Sigerson Morrison (accessories) | Helmut Lang ( Austria ) | [59] [60] |
1997 | Geoffrey Beene | Marc Jacobs | John Bartlett | Kate Spade | Narciso Rodriguez (womenswear); Sandy Dalal (menswear) | John Galliano ( Great Britain ) for Dior | [46] [47] |
1999 | Yves Saint Laurent | Michael Kors | Calvin Klein | Marc Jacobs | Josh Patner and Bryan Bradley for Tuleh (womenswear); Matt Nye (menswear); Tony Valentine (accessories) | Yohji Yamamoto ( Japan ) | [49] |
Other awards:
The CFDA's first "Fashion Icon Award" was given to American socialite C.Z. Guest in 2002. [68] [69] The award was given to Nicole Kidman in 2003 [70] and to Sarah Jessica Parker in 2004. [71] [72] The CFDA decided to forgo the award in 2005, and instead gave the "Award for Fashion Influence" to Kate Moss. [72] [73] In 2002, the CFDA Fashion Awards also began a 17-year partnership with Swarovski that ended in 2019. [20] [74] [75] In 2003, the awards for new designer talent, formerly known as the "Perry Ellis Awards," were renamed "Swarovski’s Perry Ellis Awards" and included a monetary prize for the first time to reflect the sponsorship. [76] [30]
Year | Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award | Womenswear Designer | Menswear Designer | Accessory Designer | Emerging Talent Award | International Award | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Valentino | Oscar de la Renta | Helmut Lang | Richard Lambertson & John Truex for Lambertson Truex | Miguel Adrover (womenswear), John Varvatos (menswear), Dean Harris (accessories) | Jean-Paul Gaultier ( France ) | [77] [78] |
2001 | Calvin Klein | Tom Ford | John Varvatos | Reed Krakoff for Coach | Daphne Gutierrez and Nicole Noselli for Bruce (womenswear), William Reid (menswear), Edmundo Castillo (accessories) | Nicolas Ghesquiere ( France ) for Balenciaga | [79] |
2002 | Karl Lagerfeld and Grace Coddington | Narciso Rodriguez | Marc Jacobs | Tom Ford for Yves Saint Laurent | Rick Owens | Hedi Slimane ( France ) for Dior Homme | [68] |
2003 | Anna Wintour | Narciso Rodriguez | Michael Kors | Marc Jacobs | Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler | Alexander McQueen ( Great Britain ) | [70] [80] |
2004 | Donna Karan | Carolina Herrera | Sean Combs for Sean John | Reed Krakoff for Coach | Zac Posen (ready-to-wear), Eugenia Kim (accessories) | Miuccia Prada ( Italy ) | [81] [71] |
2005 | Diane von Fürstenberg | Vera Wang | John Varvatos | Marc Jacobs | Derek Lam (womenswear), Alexandre Plokhov for Cloak (menswear), Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong for Anthony Nak (accessories) | Alber Elbaz | [72] [73] |
2006 | Stan Herman | Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein | Thom Browne | Tom Binns | Doo-Ri Chung (womenswear) and Jeff Halmos, Josia Lamberto-Egan, Sam Shipley, & John Whitledge for Trovata (menswear), Devi Kroell (accessories) | Olivier Theyskens | [82] [83] |
2007 | Robert Lee Morris | Oscar de la Renta, and Lazaro Hernandez & Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler | Ralph Lauren (also awarded the American Fashion Legend Award) | Derek Lam | Phillip Lim (womenswear), David Neville & Marcus Wainwright for Rag & Bone (menswear), Jessie Randall for Loeffler Randall (accessories) | Pierre Cardin ( France ) | [84] [85] [86] |
2008 | Carolina Herrera | Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein | Tom Ford | Tory Burch | Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte (womenswear); Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders (menswear); Philip Crangi (accessories) | Dries van Noten ( Belgium ) | [87] |
2009 | Anna Sui | Kate & Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte | Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders and Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein Collection | Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler | Alexander Wang (womenswear); Tim Hamilton (menswear); Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry (accessories) | Marc Jacobs ( United States ) for Louis Vuitton | [88] [89] |
In 2017, the CFDA introduced a single unified award for Emerging Talent that applies across womenswear, menswear and accessory design. Additionally, the CFDA added the Award for Positive Change, which honors an individual in the U.S. fashion industry who has made a positive impact on American communities and has improved the welfare of others. [90]
For their 15th edition in 2016, and after seven years at Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center, the CFDA Fashion Awards moved venue to the Hammerstein Ballroom. [91] In 2018 and 2019, the award ceremonies were held at the Brooklyn Museum. [92]
The 19th edition in 2020 saw a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which took place on 14 September. [121] There were no honorary awards bestowed in this year, but the International Award was split into Women's and Men's sub-categories for the first time.
2021 saw the return of a live in-person event, held at The Pool + The Grill in the Seagram Building on Park Avenue. [122] In 2022, the venue for the ceremony was Casa Cipriani in Manhattan. In 2023 it moved once again, this time to the American Museum of Natural History.
In 2010, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists Monique Péan, Patrik Ervell, and Sophie Theallet teamed up with Gap Inc. [132] In 2012 and 2013 the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners and runners-up each created capsule collections with J. Crew.
In celebration of the organization's 50th Anniversary, Target and Neiman Marcus partnered with 24 CFDA members to create a special holiday collection that was available at both retailers. Additionally, the CFDA has partnered with Kohl's on designer collaborations such as Derek Lam for Kohl's and most recently, Catherine Malandrino for Kohl's.
On October 3, 2013, the CFDA and Google+ launched an innovative shopping tool, titled "Shoppable Hangouts", where users had the ability to shop Hangouts on Air (HOA). The CFDA kicked off the product launch with CFDA President Diane von Fürstenberg. Rachel Zoe, Marcus Wainwright and David Neville of rag & bone, and Rebecca Minkoff also participated in the Shoppable Hangout experience.
The CFDA and Vogue Magazine have created an endowment for the stated purpose of funding significant financial awards to one or more designers and provide business mentoring. Awarded recipients are selected by a committee of industry experts.
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee annually selects three emerging fashion designers, who receive:
In 2021 and 2022, all 10 finalist designers were granted resources including funds and mentorship. Global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer of Condé Nast, Anna Wintour, made a public statement noting that "After an incredibly challenging time for all of us in fashion, especially here in New York, we're thrilled that this year we are able to support all of our finalists." [140] This was to address the challenges the American fashion industry is facing. [141]
2023 Return to Old Format
In 2023, CFDA chose to return to their prior format, awarding 1 winner $300,000 and 2 runners up $100,000 each. [143] However, all 10 finalists are given meaningful business mentorship and support.
The CFDA {FASHION INCUBATOR} is a business development program designed to support the next generation of fashion designers in New York City. The program provides a creative professional environment with the mission of helping to grow and sustain the businesses of the 10 participating brands over the course of the two-year program. By offering low-cost design studio space, business mentoring, educational seminars, and networking opportunities, the program provides a way for participants to reach their full potential and become an integral part of the New York Fashion community. In 2010, the program partnered with New York University's Stern School of Business to create a Masters Workshop that pairs their top MBA Students with the designers to work on business development projects.
Successful alumni of the Incubator program include Prabal Gurung and the 2013 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School.
The 4.0 class (2016–2018) of the {FASHION INCUBATOR} includes Alexandra Alvarez of Alix, Aurora James of Brother Vellies, Charles Youssef, Daniel DuGoff of Ddugoff, Tim Joo and Dan Joo of Haerfest, Jason Alkire and Julie Alkire of Haus Alkire, Ji Oh, Katie deGuzman and Michael Miller of K/ller Collection, Thaddeus O’Neil, and Molly Yestadt of Yestadt Millinery. [145]
The Fashion Manufacturing Initiative (FMI) is an investment fund to help revitalize New York City's garment industry. The program offers matching financial grants to New York City's fashion manufacturing production facilities.
In March 2018, the CFDA and NYCA announced that the following seven production facilities would receive a combined total of $480,000 in the fifth round of FMI grants: Atelier Amelia, Sunrise Studio, In Style USA, Mudo Fashion, New York Embroidery Studio, Season Wash, and Werkstatt. [146]
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer® (FTBC), a charitable initiative of the CFDA/CFDA Foundation, seeks to raise public awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause.
The Fashion Targets Breast Cancer name and symbol were created by Ralph Lauren and subsequently entrusted to the CFDA Foundation. FTBC was first presented in the U.S. in the spring of 1994 during New York Fashion Week, and was formally launched in September 1994 at a special White House reception hosted by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton. During this initial campaign, 400,000 FTBC shirts were sold, raising $2 million to benefit the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Health at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center. [147] This center was chosen as beneficiary at Ralph Lauren's request, in memory of his friend Nina Hyde, the former fashion editor of The Washington Post , who died of breast cancer in 1990.
Since 2011, the council has led an annual campaign to promote the initiative and partners with well known fashion icons. In 2017, Fabletics partnered with Fashion Targets Breast Cancer to produce an activewear collection. A portion of all sales for the collection would be donated to target breast cancer screening and treatment. [148] [149]
To date, nearly $50 million has been granted to breast cancer charities worldwide from FTBC campaigns. [150] CFDA Members have designed special FTBC branded or inspired merchandise, which was either sold or auctioned over the course of the campaign.
The CFDA scholarship program was created to award annual merit-based scholarship grants to students who study in a four-year, full-time college level design program. It has awarded $1,399,250 to students. [151] The Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship Award, the Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship Award, and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship Award in partnership with Target selected scholars from one of the CFDA's 20 participating design schools and donated $25,000 towards tuition and educational expenses. The awards are based solely on merit and judged by a panel of industry experts.
Notable CFDA Members include: [152]
The CFDA has published the following books, listed in order by publish date:
Ralph Lauren is an American fashion designer, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman, best known for founding the brand Ralph Lauren, a global multibillion-dollar enterprise. He has become well known for his collection of rare automobiles, some of which have been displayed in museum exhibits. He stepped down as CEO of the company in September 2015 but remains executive chairman and chief creative officer. As of April 2024, his net worth was estimated at US$8.8 billion.
Geoffrey Beene was an American fashion designer. Beene was one of New York's most famous fashion designers, recognized for his artistic and technical skills and for creating simple, comfortable and dressy women's wear.
Carolina Herrera is a Venezuelan American fashion designer. Known for her personal style, she founded her namesake brand in 1980. Herrera has dressed various First Ladies of the United States, including Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump.
Lynn Yaeger is an American journalist who works as contributing fashion editor to Vogue and Vogue.com. She worked for The Village Voice for thirty years and was known for her fashion column "Elements of Style" which was renamed "Frock Star" in 2007. Yaeger has regularly contributed to publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. Yaeger was also a fashion columnist for Full Frontal Fashion and the curator for the vintage section of fashion retail website yoox.com.
Tory Burch is an American fashion designer, businesswoman, and philanthropist. She is the Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of her own brand, Tory Burch LLC. She was listed as the 88th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2020.
Rag & Bone is an American fashion label helmed by Marcus Wainwright, originally from England. The brand is sold in more than 700 shops around the world, as well as in Rag & Bone retail stores. Wainwright, who cofounded the brand with Nathan Bogle in 2002, stepped down as chief brand officer in July 2023. The brand's design oversight is now shared between Jennie McCormick and Kyle Sweeney.
Norma Kamali is an American fashion designer. She is best known for the "sleeping bag" coat, garments made from silk parachutes, and versatile multi-use pieces.
Garance Doré is a French photographer, illustrator and author, best known for her fashion blog.
Jason Alkire is an American fashion designer and partner of the Haus Alkire fashion label. His partner and wife is Julie Alkire, also known as Julie Haus. The first public season of the New York made women's collection was Fall 2012.
Ruth Finley was an American businesswoman who was the founder and publisher of The Fashion Calendar and a central figure in the American fashion industry.
Todd Snyder is an American fashion designer based in New York City. He founded his eponymous fashion label in 2011, and has been called "the most influential menswear designer of his generation" by GQ. The brand was acquired by American Eagle Outfitters in 2015, and reports over $100 million in annual sales revenue. Todd Snyder is also the Creative Director of American heritage brand Woolrich's Black Label Collection.
The Row is an American luxury fashion label established by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in 2006 in New York City. The Row produces ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, handbags and accessories. The label has five monobrand stores and is available in 37 countries. The brand has been described as "an American answer to Loro Piana and Phoebe Philo-era Céline".
Stan M. Herman is an American fashion designer. He was President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a position he held until 2006 at which time Diane von Fürstenberg took over the position. He is also known worldwide for his leading edge corporate uniforms.
Gabriela Hearst is a Uruguayan women's luxury ready-to-wear and accessories designer. In addition to designing her namesake collection, she runs and operates her family's ranch in Uruguay.
Mike Amiri is an American fashion designer. He is the founder and creative director of the California-based luxury fashion house, AMIRI.
Heidi Weisel was an American fashion designer. She was the founder and head of design for Heidi Weisel, a New York City-based women's luxury brand. Weisel's signature was creating modern, timeless evening wear with the simplicity and ease of sportswear. She was known for her unexpected mix of fabrics, often incorporating knitted cashmere, silk chiffon, silk satin, lace, tulle, and leather. A Heidi Weisel chiffon and lace design is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Weisel was a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).
Elena Velez is an American fashion designer and creative from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, based in New York City. Her work is known for its synthesis of metalsmith and high fashion and has been featured in the V&A Museum.
Beth Hutchens is a jewelry designer and entrepreneur living in New York City. In 2019, she was nominated for the CFDA Award for American Emerging Designer of the Year.
Andrew Jun O Kwon is an American fashion designer based in New York, NY. He founded his label, ANDREW KWON, which focuses on demi-couture bridal and eveningwear.
Michelle Ochs is an American fashion designer. She has designed for Michelle Obama, Gal Gadot, Lupita Nyong'o, and Jennifer Lopez.
CFDA Awards. It all started back in 1980, and now, almost 40 years later, the show is still going strong.
In 1986, the Council of Fashion Designers of America awarded her the first Eugenia Sheppard Award for Journalism.
No year in the history of the CFDA Fashion Awards was as anticipated as 1995.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America has announced its 1990 award winners.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has announced its 1991 awards for creative endeavor.
to be presented at Lincoln Center on Feb. 7, 1994.
the International Award for Accessories, to Prada
Prada received the CFDA International Award for her accessories in 1994.
Arnold Scaasi...is the 1996 recipient of the CFDA's lifetime achievement award.
Betsey was presented The Timeless Talent Award, created especially for her
The newly created fashion icon award went to Winston Churchill's goddaughter and American socialite CZ Guest
Guest was the first recipient of the CFDA's coveted Fashion Icon Award
In both 2002 and 2005 he was nominated for the CFDA's Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for emerging talent.