CFDA 2011 awards just wrapped up and besides the incomparable Lady Gaga being honored for Fashion Icon and The über talented Marc Jacobs being honored with a lifetime achievement award, here is a wrap up of the big three winners;
Proenza Schouler: Womenswear designer of the year 
Michael Bastian: Menswear designer of the year
Alexander Wang: Accessory Designer of the year
CFDA announced its annual nominations a couple hours ago via live stream on Facebook and Style.com. Everyone one from the incredible Marc Jacobs to the iconic Lady Gaga are included among the list of nominees and award recipients. Some highlights include Proenza Schouler (against Jacobs) in the womenswear category, Alexander Wang, Philip Lim and Ashley & Mary Kate who happen to be up for the womenswear Swaroski prize. Marc Jacobs will be receiving The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award and Lady Gaga will be honored with the Fashion Icon Award. Any thoughts on the Icon award? For a complete list of the nominees click HERE.
There seems to be a bit of controversy surrounding the First Lady this week about her particular choice of gown she wore at the state dinner for China. First I would like to start of by giving myself props for being the first person among my peers to say that I thought Michelle Obama would become a fashion icon. I was in my History of Fashion class at the Miami International University of Art & Design and our teacher asked who we thought were up and coming fashion trend setters. This was during the Obama campaigning and I said I though Michelle Obama would become the Jackie Kennedy of our generation. To my surprise no one really agreed with me (including my professor), but alas, here we are, two years later and Obama has become just that, a trendsetter/icon. Which brings me to this, Obama has received a lot of criticism for her wearing a SPECTACULAR Alexander McQueen gown to the state dinner last week mainly from American designers saying she should have worn an American designer. Oscar de la Renta was quoted in WWD saying she should have worn American, whether it be his designs or someone else’s. Even the CFDA release a statement condemning the First Lady on her selection. This aggravates me on many levels and here’s why. First, to criticise the First Lady on what she is wearing is quite petty to me. She isn’t walking the red carpet at an awards show or movie premiere, she is at a State Dinner. Also, with all the exceptional work Mrs. Obama has done while her husband has been in office, commenting on her wardrobe pretty trivial. Don’t get me wrong, I am the BIGGEST fashionista you could find, and I understand the importance of fashion in the world as an art, but maybe we should take a step back and not criticise Michelle Obama on something, that for women is quite personal. She looked great and I am sure after trying the dress on, something just clicked and that’s how she decided. I doubt she was trying to make a big political statement. Second, I find it a little hypocritical for American designers be so annoyed by this choice, especially when most of their clothes are not even manufactured in the United States. Ironically enough, most clothes are “Made in China”. Maybe the CFDA and Woman’s Wear Daily should use their time and resources on figuring out ways to bring manufacturing back to the United State. That would certainly help OUR economy and unemployment rate. Maybe, “American” designers should stop sending jobs to foreign countries because of the cheap labor and less restrictive labor laws. Have you thought about doing that Mr. De la Renta? This is just one sole opinion and not intended to offend (well maybe a little) but I am just putting it out there. Leave me all the comments you want, good or bad, I will post them.
This is direct from the CFDA’s site:
Fashion Targets Breast Cancer® (FTBC), a charitable initiative of the Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDA Foundation, marshals the goodwill and services of every element of the fashion industry (including fashion designers in the U.S. and internationally, leading retailers, the world’s most famous models and celebrities, fashion photographers, as well as media, advertising, and PR firms, among others) to raise public awareness and funds for the breast cancer cause, in the U.S. and internationally.
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 Rodham 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. 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.
To date, nearly $50 million has been granted to breast cancer charities worldwide from FTBC campaigns. CFDA Members have designed special FTBC branded or inspired merchandise, which was either sold or auctioned over the course of the campaign. Hundreds of newspaper and magazine stories have been published about FTBC, and the t-shirt has been worn by actors in films and on television. Some of the world’s most famous models and celebrities have lent their image to FTBC, among them: Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Esther Canadas, Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, Lily Cole, Lily Donaldson, Minnie Driver, Linda Evangelista, Jerry Hall, Shalom Harlowe, Eva Herzigova, Iman, Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Fernanda Tavares, Ai Tominaga, Christy Turlington, Twiggy, Amber Valetta, Veronica Webb, and Daria Werbowy.
With the proceeds from Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaigns worldwide, the CFDA Foundation provides meaningful help to all women concerned about and diagnosed with breast cancer by providing access to reliable health information and quality health care, and by supporting the distribution of innovative information, education and outreach that impacts the broadest number of women possible.
Over the past fifteen years, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer has become a recognized and important charitable brand, and has enjoyed a variety of successful partnerships and associations.
Our current partners are:
Past partners include: Belle Fleur, Burberry, BURN Candles, DuPont Lycra®, General Motors’ CONCEPT:Cure, Le Book, Madame Alexander Dolls, NET-A-PORTER.com, Scoop Boutiques, Saks Fifth Avenue, SpaceNK, T-Mobile Sidekick, W Hotels/Starwood Foundation, Yogamatic,
The success of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer as a brand led the CFDA Foundation to license the FTBCsymbol and campaign model for use in other countries. FTBC campaigns have been produced in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Japan and the United Kingdom. International campaigns have received continued support from a variety of retailers, partners and sponsors, including: TopShop, Marks & Spencer, Brown Thomas, Target Australia, Holt Renfrew, Avon, Hering, Miele, Unibanco, Visa and DuPont Lycra. Sub-license agreements with companies such as Kimberly Clark have raised additional awareness and funds. In all of our FTBC partner countries, top designers have participated. With the proceeds from these worldwide FTBC campaigns, the CFDA Foundation helps to fund programs that provide access to reliable resources, breast health education, innovative information, and health care.
Catherine Bennett
Director of Business Affairs
Council of Fashion Designers of America/CFDA Foundation, Inc.
1412 Broadway, Suite 2006
New York, NY 10018
212.768.5704 phone
212.768.0515 fax
C.Bennett@cfda.com
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