News | Council of Fashion Designers of America

Fashion’s Night Out 2010 to Be the Subject of a Prime-Time Special on CBS Wednesday, September 15, at 8:00pm

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Making of the World’s Largest Fashion Celebration

The CBS Television Network announced today that the making of Fashion’s Night Out 2010 will be the subject of a one-hour prime-time special on Wednesday, September 15 (8:00pm-9:00pm, ET/PT).

Now in its second year, Fashion’s Night Out, a worldwide initiative to celebrate fashion and boos the retail industry, was launched in 2009 by Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and NYC & Company in response to the global economic downturn. The upcoming CBS special will focus on year two of intense planning and preparation and tracking the night itself as it unfolds across the globe. Cameras will follow celebrities, designers, editors, and retailers as they prepare for one of the most anticipated events of the year, providing a unique view of the creative and logistical work that goes into coordinating an event of this scale. And looking beyond the glamour to the real-life implications at stake, the show will focus on the individuals working in all parts of the industry, from salespeople to design staff, for whom the vibrancy of the fashion business is a question of economic survival.

“While New York City is the epicenter of this event,” says CBS executive producer Susan Zirinsky, “cities all over the world took the baton last year and ran with it, and 2010 promises to be even bigger. The message is clear: Responsible spending can breathe new life into the economy, and that means jobs. Fashion’s Night Out is a self-styled stimulus package by the fashion industry that has ignited a global movement.”

For one night last September, in thirteen cities around the world, designers, celebrities, movie stars, models, and fashion editors staged exciting, one-of-a-kind events and performances in stores open after-hours to the public. In New York City alone, over 800 participating stores across the five boroughs feted thousands of shoppers. Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler sang standards with Oscar de la Renta; Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen tended bar at an uptown fashion emporium; Sienna Miller hosted a party at a downtown boutique. Retailers saw a surge of new shoppers and increased sales, customers relished the street-party atmosphere, and the fashion industry experienced a much-needed lift.

For more information on Fashion’s Night Out, please visit www.fashionsnightout.com.

The special will be produced by CBS News’ Eye Too Productions.

CBS Press Contact:
Kim Izzo-Emmet
212.975.3820
krizzo@cbs.com

Fashion’s Night Out:
Susan Portnoy
212.286.6047
sportnoy@condenast.com

Sports Illustrated and Rothman’s Get on Board with Fashion for Haiti

Those in the Union Square area on February 23^rd will enjoy a special appearance by Sports Illustrated models Julia Henderson, Jessica White and Irena Shayk as the beauties, ARC NY, Rothmans Union Square and FashionIndie.com come together for an exclusive signing of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and Calendar. Signed issues will be offered for $50 to raise funds for Fashion for Haiti, an industry initiative organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

2010 CFDA Fashion Awards Scheduled for June 7 at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center

Swarovski to Generously Underwrite the Evening

Nominating Ballots Sent Out February 8

New York, NY, February 18, 2010—The 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards, honoring the best in American fashion, will take place Monday, June 7 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. For the ninth year in a row, the Awards will be generously underwritten by Swarovski, the world’s leading producer of cut crystal. The evening will start with a cocktail hour followed by the Awards ceremony and then a light dinner in the theater lobby.

“We are excited to be returning to Alice Tully Hall for a second time,” said Steven Kolb, executive director of the CFDA. “The CFDA Fashion Awards deserves a proper theater and stage. This year’s show will be very powerful and we will again include live fashion elements as we salute the top talent in our industry.”

Given annually since 1981, a CFDA Fashion Award is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a member of the fashion community. In an ongoing effort to recognize the outstanding contributions made to American fashion by individuals from all sectors of the industry, awards will be given for design excellence in womenswear, menswear and accessories as well as extraordinary accomplishments in journalism, creative vision and lifetime achievement. Last year’s winners included Kate & Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte for Womenswear Designer of the Year, a tie between Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders and Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein for Menswear Designer of the Year, and Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler for Accessory Designer of the Year. Anna Sui was honored with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.

Additionally, each year the CFDA honors emerging designers for their achievements with the Swarovski Awards. Winners of the Swarovski Awards receive generous financial support from Swarovski in addition to access to the company’s extensive crystal resources. Last year Alexander Wang was the recipient of the award for womenswear; Tim Hamilton took the menswear award; and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry won the award for accessory design. The Swarovski Awards are some of the most anticipated awards of the evening, and serve as a barometer of fashion’s future. Past recipients include Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders, Doo-Ri Chung, Derek Lam, Phillip Lim, Kate & Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte, Zac Posen, Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler, and Marcus Wainwright & David Neville for Rag & Bone.

“Swarovski is pleased to announce our sponsorship of the CFDA Fashion Awards for the ninth consecutive year,” said Nadja Swarovski, vice president of international communications, Swarovski. “We have a long-lasting and ongoing commitment to emerging talent in the fashion industry and the CFDA Fashion Awards provides the perfect platform for our mission to embrace and foster young designers with immense and unique creative abilities. These relationships allow Swarovski to not only be one of fashion’s most prestigious global brands, but also a significant part of the industry’s future.”

Nominating ballots were emailed on February 8 to the more than 800 CFDA members, press, retailers and stylists of the CFDA Fashion Awards Selection Committee. Committee members can then cast their nominating ballots at www.cfda.com until 11:59pm on Friday, March 12. On Wednesday, March 17, Nadja Swarovski and Diane von Furstenberg will host a press conference and cocktail party to announce the Award nominees and honorees.

A final round of voting will commence mid-May. Ernst & Young LLP, the official accounting firm of the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards, will tabulate the ballots and determine the winners, which will be revealed at the June 7 Awards gala.

The 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards will be produced by KCD and art directed by Laird + Partners. W Hotels Worldwide is the official hotel.

ABOUT THE CFDA - The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of more than 340 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers. CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate not-for-profit organization, which was organized to raise funds for charity and industry activities.

PRESS CONTACTS
CFDA:
Souri Kim / KCD
212.590.5113
kim@kcdworldwide.com

Swarovski:
Jennifer Meyer / Starworks
646.336.5920
Jennifer@starworksny.com

Fashion Week Day 7

Saving the best for last is always a good way to end an extra long week. And to many, showing the established triumvirate of Ralph, Calvin and Tommy on the last day of New York’s fashion week is stacking the deck in the favor of great fashion. Not surprisingly, all of the designers who showed on Thursday were pretty darn spectacular.

William Rast’s Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala, with the help of Johan and Marcella Lindeberg, offered a mix of military inspired pieces mixed with model-chic slim bits. A box of rich chocolates and its luxe packaging inspired Marc Bouwer’s deep hued collection of red carpet worthy dresses and gowns. Visiting flower markets across the world through his collection of floral prints, Ralph Lauren tempered the feminine with tailored tweeds and great shearling pieces. Isaac Mizrahi’s whimsical romp through the inspiration of Central Park resulted in sequined parkas, strapless dresses of quilted outerwear fabrics and weatherproof clear plastic handbags. Marcella Lindberg’s Paris 68 was a frock-tastic collection of goth/rock fringe-y dresses paired with tailored jackets packet with attitude. Stephen Burrows’ offerings were brightly colored and full of joie de vivre, like the man himself, with a long burgundy dress one of the best pieces.

Calvin Klein’s Francisco Costa, the pioneer of sculpted and shaped pieces, let his collection evolve to a more refined state which included molded strong shoulders and molten gowns. Gorgeous patchworked furs opened J. Mendel’s collection, but the frothy little gowns he’s so good at were like icing on this cake. Receiving a bona fide standing ovation, Naeem Khan’s triumphant collection was awash with incredibly intricate beading with a rock ‘n’ roll edge. Closing out fashion week and the era at the Bryant Park tents, Tommy Hilfiger’s collection was celebratory in feel, and with the help of consultant Peter Som, the pieces, described as “preppy with a pop” were youthful.

Tommy’s was the last show in Bryant Park and in closing the end of an era he thanked past CFDA President Stan Herman and IMG’s Fern Mallis for having the vision 18 years ago to centralize the shows. See you next season at the tents at Lincoln Center.

Fashion Week Day 6

It was truly a great day to be at New York’s fashion week, and a great day for American design as a whole. The penultimate day gave us a whole lot of well-designed choices for fall 2010. Kate Spade designer Deborah Lloyd took a romp through an art gallery and chose the best and the brightest hues to apply to her collection of clever, ladies-who-lunch sportswear. Tory Burch pieced together a great collection of edgy and brightly colored sportswear pieces, which included a clever nod to her mother by using her signature word, “divine,” on jewelry and as a graphic on sweaters.

Michael Kors is back in the saddle as one of the greatest designers of American sportswear out there with his collection that included amazing knit pieces, perfectly tailored suits and jackets and outerwear pieces that take your breath away. Knowing exactly what her customer wants, Nanette Lepore served it up – kicky little dresses, sequin encrusted T-shirts and great shearling and wool coats and didn’t miss an opportunity to push her Save the Garment Center message. Douglas Hannant brought graffiti and the 1980s to the social set by using small prints and graphic ideas borrowed from the street, though his silhouettes were straight from “Dynasty.”

Also channeling the 1980s at least for hair and make-up was Oscar de la Renta who offered up wildly colorful day dress with tons of embellishment and mostly tall columns for evening. Designing for the woman who is not quite into disco, but is not quite into punk, Phillip Lim’s 3.1 collection walked a fine line with modern short shorts, great body-skimming dresses and a lame tuxedo jacket. Milly’s Michelle Smith chose classic silhouettes like the pea coat and a short skirt suit and made them her signature for fall. Marchesa’s style of little evening dress just keeps getting more intricate with designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman working that fabric into stars and pinwheels beyond their signature flowers. Reed Krakoff’s inaugural sportswear collection was a fascinating study on long silhouettes, luxe fabrics and skins and making the accessories more than count.

Inspired by the American Arts and Crafts movement, Anna Sui infused new patterns into her brand of sexy, swingy and short American sportswear. Trees inspired Brian Reyes’ long and lean looks, but his best looks were the detailed bits borrowed from professional tree climbers for skirts and jackets. Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez offered their woman a sexy collection of well-tailored shorts, skirts and jackets and for evening, little draped bubble dresses.

Fashion Week Day 5

Snow day. For the second time in this fashion week, New York has been forced to dig out from a winter storm. It was supposed to arrive overnight, but Mother Nature’s sense of humor kept the flakes coming all day Wednesday, turning the city, and Bryant Park, into a winter wonderland – beautiful to look at, but a bit challenging to travel around in. The backdrop it provided, however, was perfect for all the fall coats, sweaters and furs we’re seeing.

Elie Tahari’s pant suits and blazers were classic Tahari in their wearability and his great black leather jackets added and edge we’ve not seen from him. Badgley Mischka’s collection of red carpet worthy gowns and dresses were heavy on the sparkle, while the lower priced Mark & James collection focused attention on shoulders for day. Derek Lam’s modern cowgirl is an urban woman, all the better to wear the great jackets – one with the widest lapels we’ve seen – and expertly draped gowns. Vera Wang usual sculpted excesses were toned down and pared down to sleek black pants suits, slim skirts and dresses and lovely draped bustiers.

The reigning Designers of the Year, Kate and Laura Mulleavy Rodarte’s lived up to lofty expectations with their take on sleepwalking, a collection of really colorful, and wearable wrapped tops, slim skirts and the most simple dresses we’ve seen them create. Max Azria’s signature collection has gone in the direction of extreme minimalism, and his pared down, pieced dresses and asymmetrical jackets were simply stunning. Dennis Basso’s chosen medium, gorgeous furs, were draped and pieced into incredible poufs that were as interesting to see as the best ready-to-wear. Part thrift shop, part repurposed military pieces, the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection was a more colorful, playful take on the classic pieces he showed for his signature collection. Showing The Row in a super intimate setting for 100, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s collection of pieces went straight to the heart of this collection – offering low key chic and anonymous fashion.

CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner Sophie Theallet’s brightly colored dresses screamed luxe from the lush silk satins skimming models’ bodies to the plush velvets she draped expertly. Narciso Rodriguez, working curves and shadows, concentrated on short dresses and day looks, all the while playing up the bust with piecing that accentuates it in a subtle way. Working with Jason Wu, Tse’s offerings were light and linear, but with a playful attitude. Amy Smilovic’s Tibi has moved far beyond sweet little dresses to offer great cropped jackets, suits, well-styled sweaters and gowns with a modern, buttoned-up feel.

A gold trench coat and modern, peplumed dresses for day signify that a new, uber-elegant day has dawned at Carmen Marc Valvo. Yeohlee Teng’s experimentation with shapes resulted in a variety of well designed pieces, long and short, that stand alone on their innovation.

Fashion Week Day 4

More than a 12-hour day is a long one for anyone. For fashion folks, that is called Fashion Week Monday starting at 9am and ending way after all of our bedtimes. Guess what – wall-to-wall, door-to-door fashion and style is not just a lot of great looking clothes, it’s the blood that flows through our veins. Bring on more – we can take it!

Short, sweet and to the point must have been Zac Posen’s mantra for the season, as he showed nothing but modern, kicky little dresses, and nary a gown. Carolina Herrera’s use of deep red and Prussian blue brought richness to an already plush collection of great coats, great day dresses and even greater gowns. Dabbling in menswear, Zero + Maria Cornejo’s let them influence her women’s wear as the men’s and women’s looks were not too far apart, but for women she also several Obama-friendly sheaths. Vittadini’s brand of sportswear is for a woman of a certain age, but that doesn’t mean she’s dowdy – check out this company’s great paillette skirts, comfy sweaters and beaded tops.

Jill Stuart walked that thin line between too much and just enough to make it interesting when it comes to her chunky knits and oversized outerwear pieces that she paired with Rock ‘n’ Roll attitude. Short, tight ruched dresses were Tracy Reese’s calling card for fall, along with the slim trousers and pretty dresses her customers want. Adding a dimension to an already layered woman, Donna Karan’s almost all black collection contained incredible molded “air-sculpted” skirts and cocoon coats. Inspired by a Chinese warrior, Monique Lhuillier took a radical departure to show mostly lean, slim dresses and skirts in bold black, red and gold.

Chris Benz called his collection “Outward Bound Debutante,” which fit his impossibly bright colors and imaginative styling to a T. Translating the feel of her posh handbags and clutches, Devi Kroell offered ready-to-wear in amazingly lush fabrics and rich dark hued colors, but not black. Understated gorgeousness describes Marc Jacobs’ restrained and refined fall collection that stayed within the gray-taupe-blue range, which sounds blah, but was far from it.

Koi Suwannagate’s simple, concise collection was offered in black, white and a yellow-y green, with her sweet, signature appliqués, of course. Forget the over the top gowns, Zang Toi exercised beautiful restraint for fall by showing really lovely day wear and slick, barely jeweled sheaths for evening. Twinkle by Wenlan’s Wenlan Chia stuck with signature knits for fall, but also added really great slim trousers (well almost leggings) and a couple flouncy dresses.

Fashion Week Day 3

Victoria Bartlett

Love was in the air on Sunday, as many designers chose to share their love with us through their collections on Valentine’s Day, or demonstrably, like our president Diane von Furstenberg. When she took her bow at the end of her show, her husband, Barry Diller, handed her a vibrant bouquet of long stems and then three of her grandchildren did the same. It was quite a moment. Now on to some of the collections that make our hearts sing.

Lela Rose was playing on textures from the almost wet-looking slick for dresses to the bumpy in the form of pearl encrusted blouses and dresses, but she’s always got her sweet girly girl in mind. VPL’s Victoria Bartlett showed an enormous amount of body wear and undergarments, playing up her company’s heritage (after all, it is called Visible Panty Lines), but her stabs at dresses, long coats and jumpsuits deserve top billing too.

Infused with a tribal feel and inspired by a nomadic way of life Catherine Malandrino’s namesake collection was packed full of textural fabrics, leathers and slouchy silhouettes. Designing for herself and her friends, Behnaz Sarafpour’s concise collection contained greatest hits of a slim pants suit, a couple of plush coats and her signature dresses. DKNY’s bold graphic patterns were urban, modern and artistic when applied to Donna Karan’s confidently styled collection for a young woman with attitude.
Rebecca Taylor knows how to play up femininity in a collection, and though there were strong, dark colors and lots of animal prints, it still looked pretty, as will its wearers.

In a collection of minimalist building blocks, Araks Yeramyan stuck with bold colors and sleek silhouettes.
Herve Leger by Max Azria’s bandage dresses took a turn on the performance athletic side for fall with active-inspired design touches, like trims and insets that accentuate the curves of the body. Diane von Furstenberg embraced decoration for her fall collection without restraint – which for her means gorgeously crusted pearls and beading on jackets, sweaters and dresses. With influences from North Africa, Rachel Roy’s collection has great texture, patterns and a couple of amazing outfits like a nubby sweater – full length skirt combo to be coveted.

Thakoon Panichgul has veered off his sweet romantic path, showing a more primal collection filled with really interesting furs and skins, while still offering a couple of his signature great sheaths.
Inspired by Warhol-ite Nico, Erin Fetherston imagined what kind of dresses she would wear, in this case a collection of very modern pieces for Fetherston. Betsey Johnson’s romp through her 45-year archives resulted in a collection of her greatest silhouettes reinterpreted with a Wild West feel. Juan Carlos Obando presented a well-tailored, concise collection of great slim trousers, geometric paneled pieces and really well designed dresses.

Infused with a tribal feel and inspired by a nomadic way of life Catherine Malandrino’s namesake collection was packed full of textural fabrics, leathers and slouchy silhouettes. Designing for herself and her friends, Behnaz Sarafpour’s concise collection contained greatest hits of a slim pants suit, a couple of plush coats and her signature dresses. DKNY’s bold graphic patterns were urban, modern and artistic when applied to Donna Karan’s confidently styled collection for a young woman with attitude. Rebecca Taylor knows how to play up femininity in a collection, and though there were strong, dark colors and lots of animal prints, it still looked pretty, as will its wearers.

In a collection of minimalist building blocks, Araks Yeramyan stuck with bold colors and sleek silhouettes. Herve Leger by Max Azria’s bandage dresses took a turn on the performance athletic side for fall with active-inspired design touches, like trims and insets that accentuate the curves of the body. Diane von Furstenberg embraced decoration for her fall collection without restraint – which for her means gorgeously crusted pearls and beading on jackets, sweaters and dresses. With influences from North Africa, Rachel Roy’s collection has great texture, patterns and a couple of amazing outfits like a nubby sweater – full length skirt combo to be coveted.

Fashion Week Day 2

Raising money for Haiti is easy when fashion’s involved. After Naomi Campbell’s fashion show Friday night where the finale featured CFDA’s Fashion for Haiti must have tees, we all had a little fashion hangover from fabulousness of it all. However, Saturday’s full schedule of heavy hitters set us straight, and thirsting for more. Lucky for us, we were sated.

Peter Som’s colors for fall are a jewel-hued symphony – all the better for his uptown bohemian who is not afraid to pair her sensible sheath with a tulle underskirt. Pieced mesh dresses and sublime slim pants by Flora Gill and Alexa Adams for Ohne Title were must-have signature pieces for the season. ADAM by Adam Lippes improved by leaps and bounds this season, showing a completely cohesive collection inspired by a parachute, instead of his usual great items. Alexander Wang’s deconstructed Wall Street study offered looks that ranged from sexy to layered up, but it was his chenille sweaters and leggings that made our hearts beat faster.

Vivienne Tam’s study of the Chinese zodiac signs resulted in the manipulation of fabric for volume’s sake. Ruffles, pleats and shredded fabric skirts answered the call. CFDA fashion incubator designer Prabal Gurung’s graphic color blocking made a bold statement for his day wear, while his signature tailored ruffle was updated for evening. Red carpet anyone? Showing clothes that are edgy, yet look soft, CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Gary Graham walked a fine line, veering onto the side of feminine, but very complex looks.

Fashion Week Day 1

From the Mercedes Benz tents to MAC at Milk and everywhere in between New York’s Fashion Week (Fall ‘10) started on a somber note, with the news of Alexander McQueen’s untimely passing reaching attendees at some of the first shows of the week. So while the mood was one of quiet reflection, the fashion being shown was some of the strongest creatively we’ve seen in seasons. Perhaps there’s a quiet optimism, and a new-found creativity, emerging in the wake of the economic meltdown? We think so.

BCBG by Max Azria was a collection of really wearable dresses, pants and shirts that have a very modern edge to them and are decorated with modern, graphic art touches. Organic by John Patrick had a full on London vibe to it with all the tweed and cheeky touches like high-waisted boy shorts, skinny cropped pants and sweet dresses. Richard Chai’s secondary line, Richard Chai LOVE took all the good cues from the 1980s, showing feminine long tube skirts and floral prints layered with cool military-inspired jackets and vests.

Tina Lutz & Marcia Patmos’ signature collection is chock full of PC fibers and all natural dyes, so you can feel good while looking good in their chic and urbane sweaters. Rachel Comey’s prints ranged from small to large in colors that run the gamut from subtle tan to bold teal blue, while the rest of the collection had a real lightness to it. Chado Ralph Rucci’s small venue was allowed his followers to see his amazing details, like burned ostrich feathers captured in mesh packets, up close. Vena Cava, by Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock, was a collection of sleek black pieces that were really very sophisticated, the long dresses in particular, for this young duo.

While Yigal Azrouel’s short dresses were chic, it was his sleek pant suits and trouser combinations that looked so fresh, particularly when paired with his luxe sweaters. Wayne Lee’s namesake collection was packed with slouchy pieces – pants, long shirts and relaxed jackets – done mainly in knit, but she revved it up here and there with the addition of leather and fur. Marcus Wainwright and David Neville’s Rag & Bone stand-alone women’s show was a first and appropriately packed and layered with their best tweedy men’s wear for women collection yet. Jason Wu’s runway was the longest one we’ve seen (and was pink) – all the better to see his fabulous sculpted tulle dresses and gowns in full-on movement. Cynthia Rowley took on volume with puffers — for coats and smart accessories – and fringes for everything else, including a couple of dresses to die for. Jenni Kayne’s take on an equestrian’s wardrobe was a concise 15-look collection that included great slim trousers, leather sheath dresses and the all-important jackets.

Doo. Ri went glittery – on the model’s lips that spilled onto the shoulders in crystal and down the sides of many of her pieces that had all the subtle movement she’s known for. Nicole Miller’s woman has become an urban warrior wearing loads of fitted black sheaths, layered up with legwarmers, leggings and loads of leather bits.Inspired by “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” Swaim and Christina Hutson’s relaunched Generra was a colorful, playful ode to the brand’s identity with pull-on stretch Henley dresses, cargo pants and full sweaters.Inspired by the shapes of the Japanese designers, Costello Tagliapietra worked their magic draping into sometimes off balance silhouettes in gorgeous desert colors.