Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection Wins Top Prize Evening generously underwritten by Swarovski
NEW YORK, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Last night, the Council of Fashion
Designers of America (CFDA) paid tribute to the winners and honorees of the
2008 CFDA Fashion Awards in the Celeste Bartos Forum of The New York Public
Library followed by dinner at the Bryant Park Grill. Top honors went to
Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein for Womenswear Designer of the Year. Tom Ford
won Menswear Designer of the Year and Tory Burch took home Accessory Designer
of the Year.
The Swarovski Award for Womenswear was given to Kate & Laura Mulleavy for
Rodarte while the Swarovski Award for Menswear was presented to Scott
Sternberg for Band of Outsiders. The Swarovski Award for Accessory Design went
to Phillip Crangi. The Awards were generously underwritten by Swarovski.
Recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from the
company as well as exposure to the company's vast and innovative
CRYSTALLIZED(tm) Swarovski Elements.
The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Carolina
Herrera.
Belgian designer Dries Van Noten was recognized with this year's
International Award; Style.com's Candy Pratts Price was honored with the
Eugenia Sheppard Award for excellence in journalism; and the Board of
Directors' Special Tribute was presented to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for his
unwavering support of New York City's fashion industry.
The presentation was hosted by Fran Lebowitz. Also lending their talents
to this year's presentation were Simon Doonan, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren,
Nadja Swarovski, Anna Wintour, Victoria Beckham, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eva
Mendes, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Kim Catrall. Some of the most influential
names in American fashion design, like CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg,
Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karan, Zac Posen, Peter Som and Vera
Wang were joined by celebrity guests Eva Longoria Parker, Tony Parker, Jason
Lewis, Paula Patton, Ashley Olsen, Lauren Hutton, Sean Avery, and Lil' Kim.
As part of the CFDA's commitment to design education, the Geoffrey Beene
Design Scholar Ghazaleh M. Khalifeh and the CFDA/Teen Vogue scholarship
recipient Anna Lesassier were recognized on-stage with the first-ever CFDA
Scholarship winner Peter Som.
Of the ceremony, CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb said, "This night is
special not only because we celebrate the best of American fashion, but
because we come together as an industry and a community to do so. We are
thrilled that this year's format enabled us to accommodate a greater number of
guests in the celebration. I can think of no better spotlight for American
fashion as a dynamic, growing institution with a rich history than the CFDA
Fashion Awards."
"This evening has become such a treasured occasion for Swarovski. We
couldn't be more thrilled for all the tremendously talented honorees and
winners," said Nadja Swarovski, Vice President of International
Communications. "There is certainly a continued bright future for American
fashion design with this year's awards being any indication. We are delighted
to have the opportunity to be such an influence in the landscape of these
talented, young stars who have captured the honor of the Swarovski Awards."
For the third year in a row, the celebration incorporated a Viewing Party.
"Upstairs at the Library Hosted T-Mobile Sidekick" was a lounge-like space
from which a larger group of fashion designers, editors and other industry
supporters watched a live simulcast of the awards. Notable guests included
Lauren Santo Domingo, Jeff Halmos, Sam Shipley, David Neville, Marcus
Wainright, and Gucci Westman.
For the first time ever, the CFDA Fashion Awards included a live simulcast
especially for design students. Thanks to the generous support of Target and
in cooperation with the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T), 700 college
students watched the show live from F.I.T.'s Haft Auditorium.
The decor of the dinner and awards was inspired by the garden and the
beauty of spring that designer Raul Avila brought to life for the Awards.
Bryant Park served as the perfect springtime backdrop for two pieces from the
Swarovski Crystal Palace Collection: "Cascade," a well-known piece by artist
Vincent Van Duysen, and ten "Blossom" chandeliers by designer Tord Boontje.
KCD produced the event, and the journal and graphics were designed by Trey
Laird of Laird + Partners.
Nominees, honorees, and winners were determined by a Selection Committee
comprised of CFDA members, leading fashion journalists, stylist and top retail
executives. Ernst & Young LLP was the official accounting firm of the Awards.
Additionally, the CFDA would like to acknowledge the companies that added
to the success of this year's event: Continental Airlines -- official airline;
Champagne Taittinger; FIJI; website designer: Hudson Union; Bernard's Salon
and Spa, L'Oreal Professionnel, and MAC Pro Team and MAC Cosmetics, W Hotels
Worldwide, Mandarin Oriental, New York.
The winners and honorees of the 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards:
Womenswear Designer of the Year
Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection
Menswear Designer of the Year
Tom Ford
Accessory Designer of the Year
Tory Burch
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent Womenswear
Kate & Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent Menswear
Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders
Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent Accessory Design
Phillip Crangi
Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Carolina Herrera
International Award
Dries Van Noten
Eugenia Sheppard Award for Fashion Journalism
Candy Pratts Price
Board of Directors' Special Tribute
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
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SOURCE Council of Fashion Designers of America
