Next to the Met Gala and every time Rihanna leaves the house, the CFDA awards are one of the biggest events in American fashion. And this year they’re set to be more relevant than ever. Not only have they moved the venue from Manhattan to Brooklyn, they’re also getting Issa Rae to host. She’ll be the first woman to host the awards in over six years, which, for an industry swimming in incredible women, is long overdue.
Their just-announced list of nominees and honourees is similarly relevant. Raf Simons is up for both Womenswear Designer of the Year and Menswear Designer of the year for his phenomenal work at Calvin Klein — awards that he won last year. Virgil Abloh’s of-the-moment brand Off-White also got tipped in both categories. So did everyone’s favourite twins Mary-Kate and Ashley, for their luxurious basics line The Row.
The founder of streetwear behemoth Supreme, James Jebbia, is another up for the Menswear of Designer of the Year, setting hypebeasts hearts’ aflutter. Donatella will be receiving the International Award for her with work at Versace and, presumably, being an excellent TV character muse. Special shout out to Edward Enninful, i-D alumni, current editor of British Vogue and recipient of The Media Award in Honor of Eugenia Shepherd.
While we would have liked to see 2017 CFDA Fashion Fund winner Telfar get a nod in the Emerging Talent category, we’re pleased to see Sies Marjan in the mix again, whose recent autumn/winter 18 show was a standout at NYFW.
Check out the full list below.
Womenswear Designer of the Year
Raf Simons for Calvin Klein
Gabriela Hearst
Marc Jacobs
Virgil Abloh for Off-White
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row
Menswear Designer of the Year
Raf Simons for Calvin Klein
Virgil Abloh for Off-White
James Jebbia for Supreme
Thom Browne
Tom Ford
Accessory Designer of the Year
Paul Andrew
Stuart Vevers for Coach
Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel for Mansur Gavriel
Irene Neuwirth
Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row
The Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent
Miki Amiri for Amiri
Laura Vassar Brock and Kristopher Brock for Brock Collection
Aurora James for Brother Vellies
Kirby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss
Sander Lak for Sies Marjan
The Swarovski Award for Positive Change
Diane von Furstenberg
Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Narciso Rodriguez
The Founder’s Award
Carolina Herrera
The Media Award in Honor of Eugenia Shepherd
Edward Enninful
The International Award
Donatella Versace