Nominees & Honorees for the CFDA Fashion Awards

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has revealed the nominees for their Fashion Awards, which will mark the CFDA’s 50th  anniversary. There are five categories this year, along with three honorary awards.

Last year’s "Womenswear Designer of the Year" winner, Marc Jacobs, has been nominated again, competing against Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen for The Row and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler. Patrick Ervell, Billy Reid, and Simon Spurr have all been nominated for "Menswear Designer of the Year." McCollough and Lazaro for Proenza Schouler grabbed another nomination for "Accessory Designer of the Year," along with Alexander Wang and Reed Krakoff.

Emerging talents are honored with a Swarovkski award, and the crystal maker returns as the Awards’ underwriter. In the "Womenswear" category, Joseph Altuzarra, Chris Peters, and Shane Gabier for Creatures of the Wind, as well as Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty for Suno, have been nominated. The nominees for "Menswear" are Antonio Azzuolo, Todd Synder, and Phillip Lim. Rounding out the Swarovski Awards is "Accessory Design," where Tabitha Simmons, Pamela Love, and Irene Neuwirth were nominated. 

Tommy Hilfiger will be presented with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award by the CFDA. Rei Kawakubo will receive the International Award, and Johnny Depp is this year’s recipient of the Fashion Icon Award.

The CFDA Fashion Awards will take place on June 4 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, where "Saturday Night Live" writer and star Seth Meyers will serve as host. Who are you routing for?

Text Ashley Amidon
Source WWD
Image Modern Destiny

Altuzarra Wins CFDA Competition

In hindsight, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) winners and nominees often seem so easy to single out, and this year was no different. Nominees Pamela Love and Creatures of the Wind seemed like obvious choices, given their recent work and ever-growing acclaim — Creatures of the Wind was featured on WWD’s June 2008 cover, just one year after its conception, and Pamela Love’s unique pieces were received with a cult-clamoring frenzy. This year’s winner seems even more obvious.

Launching only three years ago, Joseph Altuzarra has officially claimed his status as golden boy — a status that's been officially sealed by this year’s steady stream of rave reviews. Known for ultramodern, functional clothing, Altuzarra’s most recent show was considered a complete "about face" for the somewhat still-fledgling brand. (That’s not to say his other collections haven’t been well received.) With Altuzarra's spring 2012 collection, critics have given strong footing for a promising future. Of course, the CFDA win and accompanying $300,000 can’t hurt either.

Text Tienlyn Jacobson 
Image and Source CFDA

Prabal Gurung...at it Again!

Prabal Gurung, a designer familiar with attention and trailblazing decisions has made a big move again. The CFDA Swarovski winner has not only released some behind the scenes pictures from his fall campaign (his first) along side a few pictures from the campaign itself, but has announced that it will be released exclusively on the internet.

The campaign, shot by Daniel Jackson and featuring model Julia Saner, is both a smart and daring move in a season where newsstand sales are on a steady decline. The designer isn't ruling out the possibility of releasing print advertisements at some point but thinks, "It’s important for brands to think outside the box and do a different kind of branding. It’s particularly important for brands that do not have a budget for advertising to use the internet to re-excite the customers."

Gurung will debut the ads on his Facebook, so make sure and check them out! In the meantime, do you think the online exclusive route is the way to go?

Text Corinna Fabre
Source: Prabal Gurung

Pamela Love Makes Jewelry for the Girl that You Don't Want to Mess With

With a name like Pamela Love, one would be inclined to assume that this jewelry designer makes friendship bracelets and heart-shaped pendant necklaces that they sell at local suburban malls. Fortunately, we don't live in an allegorical tale and instead of cute little trinkets, Love creates edgy jewelry for the tough one who doesn't mind being slightly different than your girl next door. The CFDA nominated designer, known for her talon cuffs and rings, played with pentagrams and moon rocks this season. The results are no less than amazing, as she successfully took her line to a whole new direction while continuing to cater to the same customer that she's always pleased. Love definitely knows how to cast a spell on the toughest of crowds, and as she took us to the heavens this season, one can only dream about what she'll conjure up next. Click for more pictures!

Source: Fashionista.com
Text Kristina Bravo

Nominess for the CFDA Awards Announced

To all who know and understand, the CFDA Awards is the equivalent of the Oscars for fashion designers. Recently, the nominees were announced and the event was held above Diane Von Furstenberg's offices/showroom in the meatpacking district.

Nail-biters of the night, Alexander Wang, Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs are nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year. Meanwhile, Jason Wu, who has had a fabulous run (dressing Michelle Obama and all) is nominated along side with Joseph Altuzurra and Prabal Gurung for the Swarovski Award for Womenswear.

Honorees included Michael Kors who will be receiving the Geoffery Beane Lifetime Achievement Award, Burberry's Christopher Bailey will be honored with the International Award, Iman will be awarded the Fashion Icon Award and the late Alexander McQueen will be bestowed the Board of Directors' Special Tribute Award.

Making Her Claim to Fame

Fashion is always looking for the next big thing. And after last nights CFDA and Vogue Fashion Fund in New York, we may have found it.

Sophie Theallet, winner of $200,000 to help fund and develop her collections, as well as a year-long mentorship with fashion professionals, has a new collection that even the First Lady, Michelle Obama, has taken notice of.

Theallets signature is bohemian luxe seen through the eyes of a sophisticated couturier. Her clothes have a strong French accent, but exude a freedom of spirit that transcends all borders.

Theallet was first noticed by magazine editors in 2009 when she presented her Spring 2009 collection using only African American women. Since then she has made a name for herself on the New York fashion scene.

Sophie Theallet is a designer to definitely watch out for. Take a look through her collection I'm sure you will find pieces that are must haves for your spring wardrobe.

- Erin Jones

Betsey Johnson's Final Cartwheel

After 30+ years fashions most whimsical and over the top designer is handing over the reins.

After her Spring 2010 show at New York Fashion Week in September, Betsey Johnson will do her last cartwheel on the runway. Rumors have been flying around for months and now although it saddens me to do so I can confirm that the rumors are indeed true. Eric Sartori, who has previously designed for Vera Wang, will become the brand's head designer.

Betsey Johnson brings out the fairy princess in every girl. Her designs look like they were plucked from the enchanted world of Alice in Wonderland. As embellished and outrageous as Johnson's designs might be they still have a certain soft feminine appeal to them.

Betsey Johnson started her own label in 1978 and has since been having the time of her life. She was inducted into the Fashion Walk of Fame in 2002 and in 1999 the CFDA created the 'Timeless Talent Award' in her honor.

Now I don't know how everyone else feels about this but I am crushed by this devastating loss. But there is a happy ending to this story although Johnson may be "retiring" she still plans to be a part of her corporation.

"...I'll be a mega consultant. And be that - be the inspiration, the light at the end of the tunnel, the fairy godmother that comes down," said Johnson in a press release about her retirement.

"As long as I still have my legs and my make-up I will not retire!"

- Erin Jones

CFDA Awards=Fashion Roast?

Tracey Ullman, the unlikely host of this year's awards held at Lincoln center, opened the ceremony dressed as a rich, Upper East Side housewife who was indiscriminately shoving her Hermes purchases in Duane Reade bags. "Oh, this recession is too much to bear!" she cried out.

In what the New York Times dubbed as more of a "pep rally" than an awards show, the CFDA event this year did at times oscillate from a pat on the back to younger designers and a bit of a roast for the more established ones. Unlike past years, where the big players swept the awards, this year, the ceremony handed out honors to newer talent.

The winners included Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte for women’s wear, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler for accessories, and, in a tie, Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders and Italo Zucchelli of Calvin Klein for men’s wear, Alexander Wang won for emerging talent in women’s wear, and Tim Hamilton and Subversive's Justin Giunta won the same for men's and accessories, respectively.

Of course, many of fashion's old gaurd were nominated and Ralph Lauren won the new "popular" award where fashion fans could vote on their favorite designer.

However, it was probably a wise choice to pick Ullman, known for her obsessive knitting more than her fashion, to rib the audience a bit as the evening wore on. “The most important thing is to go back to basics, and remind ourselves why we fell in love with fashion in the first place,” Ullman said. “As long as you have a single needle and a spool of thread — and a first-rate marketing team — you can do it.”

And the designers seemed in on the joke before the ceremony even began--several took promo pics for the event wearing over-the-top garb (specifically Marc Jacobs in a bunny ear hat and Jason Wu in an evening gown over a tux). Because, after all, what's fashion without at sense of humor?

Naomi Campell Lashes Out ...

... and this time, it's not at her assistant. While it's long been a debate that ethnic diversity in the fashion industry is lacking, Naomi Campbell brought the issue up this week to Glamour in Germany. Citing that designers who used to use black and other race models are now only giving preference to "blond, blue-eyed" girls, Campbell expressed disappointment concerning the issue:

"In the past, there were more opportunities for black models but the trend towards blond women has again become extreme. In magazines, on the catwalk, I see blond, blue-eyed models everywhere,"A couple of years ago, Campbell, Tyson Beckford, and Liya Kibede launched an awareness campaign to bring attention to the problem for models of color in the fashion industry. Responding to their urging, CFDA head Dianne von Furstenburg urged designers and fashion publications to branch out from the traditional looking girls.

Do CHAOS readers think magazines, labels, advertisers, etc use too much of the same type girl to promote their brand or do you think fashion is shifting?