Not-for-profit trade association
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.
History
The first president of the CFDA was Sydney Wragge[3] (from 1962 until 1965). Steven Kolb is the CEO since 2006 and CaSandra Diggs is the President since 2020. 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]
The following people were founding members of the CFDA, from 1962:
CFDA Fashion Awards
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]
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2010 saw the introduction of the honarary Fashion Icon award with model Iman being the first recipient.[23] 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.[24]
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.[25] In 2018 and 2019, the award ceremonies were held at the Brooklyn Museum.[26]
2020s
The 19th edition in 2020 saw a virtual ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which took place on 14 September.[54] 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.[55] 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.
Collaborations
In 2010, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists Monique Péan, Patrik Ervell, and Sophie Theallet teamed up with Gap Inc.[66] 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.
Programs
CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
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:
- Business mentoring from an established team of fashion industry professionals, in areas such as business planning, marketing, sourcing, production, exporting etc.
- To encourage and enable the recipients to pursue his/her own independent design plan (one winner at $300,000 and two runners-up at $100,000 each).
2010s Finalists and Winners
2020s Expansion and Winners
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."[74] This was to address the challenges the American fashion industry is facing.[75]
- 2021: Batsheva Hay of Batsheva; Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta of Eckhaus Latta; Anifa Mvuemba of Hanifa; Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka of House of Aama; Kenneth Nicholson; Jameel Mohammed of Khiry; LaQuan Smith; Abrima Erwiah of Studio 189; Edvin Thompson of Theophilio; and Willy Chavarria[76]
- 2022: Jacques Agbobly of Black Boy Knits; Elena Velez; Felisha Noel of Fe Noel; Lauren Harwell Godfrey of Harwell Godfrey; Taofeek Abijako of head of State; Conley Averett of Judy Turner; Colm Dillane of Kidsuper; Pia Davis and Autumn Randolph of No Sesso; Omar Salam of Sukeina; and, Jackson Wiederhoeft of Wiederhoeft[75]
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.[77] However, all 10 finalists are given meaningful business mentorship and support.
- 2023: Angelo Fabricio Urrutia of 4SDesigns; Colin LoCascio; Rachel Scott of Diotima (Runner Up);[78] Kim Shui; Kozaburo Akasaka of Kozaburo; Melitta Baumeister (Winner);[5] Sami Miro of Sami Miro Vintage; Fletcher Kasell and Tanner Richie of Tanner Fletcher; Everard Best and Téla D’Amore of WHO DECIDES WAR; and Henry Zankov of Zankov (Runner Up).[5]
CFDA {FASHION INCUBATOR} program
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.[79]
Fashion Manufacturing Initiative
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.[80]
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer
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.[81] 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.[82][83]
To date, nearly $50 million has been granted to breast cancer charities worldwide from FTBC campaigns.[84] CFDA Members have designed special FTBC branded or inspired merchandise, which was either sold or auctioned over the course of the campaign.
CFDA Scholarship Program
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.[85] 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.
