Gabriela Hearst’s win represents the first time that a woman has won the womenswear prize since Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen won for The Row in 2015. Among this year’s winners, Hearst is the only woman, despite having female nominees in the majority of categories. Other winners include Dior Men’s Kim Jones for international menswear designer of the year and Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli for international womenswear designer of the year.
In a release, the CFDA noted that this year’s winners represent “the most diverse group of recipients in the 39-year history of the awards.” It’s a continuation of the CFDA’s move to become more diverse of late through partnerships with the Black in Fashion Council, Bethann Hardison, Harlem’s Fashion Row, and the appointment of CaSandra Diggs as president, working alongside chairman Tom Ford and CEO Steven Kolb.
This year’s new cast of winners also reflects fashion’s hopes to change its ingrained systems. It’s significant that the CFDA is honouring designers of different racial backgrounds after celebrating predominantly white designers for decades, but more so, it’s important that the CFDA is celebrating those who boldly challenge the status quo – and sometimes go against the CFDA’s grain. With Pyer Moss, Kerby Jean-Raymond insists on only hosting one fashion show per year; of late, he’s gravitated away from traditional runway formats and toward concerts at King’s Theater and this year’s planned drive-in cinema in Brooklyn. Telfar Clemens also shows on his own schedule, popping up in London, Florence, and New York with innovative show formats that showcase his unisex designs. His Shopping Bag, unquestionably the It bag of this era, has rewired the retail system too, selling at an affordable price directly to consumers, giving both shoppers and Telfar the power to dictate retail trends.
Gabriela Hearst is arguably one of New York’s most environmentally minded designers, having carbon offset a recent show and promising to present her future collections in Paris to reduce the amount of shipping for her samples. Together, these winners represent almost every change fashion needs to make now: racial inclusivity, flexible runway-show scheduling, a stronger bond with consumers, and a sustainable practice in both materials and mindset.
Will this inspire other designers to try a new tack throughout 2020 and beyond? We can hope. As New York Fashion Week celebrates its first digital season, it’s the innovators and those who challenge the system who are poised to define fashion’s future.
This year’s new cast of winners also reflects fashion’s hopes to change its ingrained systems. It’s significant that the CFDA is honouring designers of different racial backgrounds after celebrating predominantly white designers for decades, but more so, it’s important that the CFDA is celebrating those who boldly challenge the status quo – and sometimes go against the CFDA’s grain. With Pyer Moss, Kerby Jean-Raymond insists on only hosting one fashion show per year; of late, he’s gravitated away from traditional runway formats and toward concerts at King’s Theater and this year’s planned drive-in cinema in Brooklyn. Telfar Clemens also shows on his own schedule, popping up in London, Florence, and New York with innovative show formats that showcase his unisex designs. His Shopping Bag, unquestionably the It bag of this era, has rewired the retail system too, selling at an affordable price directly to consumers, giving both shoppers and Telfar the power to dictate retail trends.
Gabriela Hearst is arguably one of New York’s most environmentally minded designers, having carbon offset a recent show and promising to present her future collections in Paris to reduce the amount of shipping for her samples. Together, these winners represent almost every change fashion needs to make now: racial inclusivity, flexible runway-show scheduling, a stronger bond with consumers, and a sustainable practice in both materials and mindset.
Will this inspire other designers to try a new tack throughout 2020 and beyond? We can hope. As New York Fashion Week celebrates its first digital season, it’s the innovators and those who challenge the system who are poised to define fashion’s future.
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