Womenswear Designer of the Year

Jack McCollough & Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler

Menswear Designer of the Year

Michael Bastian

Accessory Designer of the Year

Alexander Wang

Swarovski  Award for Womenswear

Prabal Gurung

Swarovski Award for Menswear

Robert Geller

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design

Eddie Borgo

International Award

Phoebe Philo for Celine

Media Award

Hilary Alexander

Founder’s Award

Hal Rubenstein

Fashion Icon Award

Lady Gaga

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award

Marc Jacobs

Board of Directors’ Special Tribute

Arthur Elgort

The 2011 CFDA Award nominees have been announced and the candidates are sure to excite.  In the Womenswear category we have Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and the men from Proenza Schouler, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.  Check out the rest of the nominees and honorees below.

Womenswear Designer of the Year:
Alexander Wang
Marc Jacobs
Proenza Schouler
 
Accessories Designer of the Year:
Alexander Wang
Proenza Schouler
Reed Krakoff
 
Menswear Designer of the Year:
Simon Spurr
Michael Bastian
Patrick Ervell
 
Swarovski Award for Womenswear:
Joseph Altuzarra
Prabal Gurung
The Row
 
Swarovski Award for Menswear:
Alexander Wang
Phillip Lim
Robert Geller
 
Swarovski Award for Accessory Design:
Alejandro Ingelmo
Eddie Borgo
Jason Wu
Pamela Love
 
Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Marc Jacobs
 
Board of Directors Tribute
Arthur Elgort
 
International Award
Phoebe Philo
 
Media Award
Hilary Alexander
 
CFDA Board of Trustees Award
Hal Rubenstein
 
Fashion Icon
Lady Gaga

Zoe Kravitz is one of the new faces of Alexander Wang’s Fall 2010 ad campaign.  The daughter of rocker Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet has grown up.  This collaboration was tailor-made because she has the cool girl credibility needed to front this brand.  It’s no secret that Zoe has been a loyal follower of the label, and it has paid off big time.  Dan Jackson captured the black-and-white shot with model Max Motta.  New Yorkers will get the larger than life effect of the ad on billboards starting Monday, August 16th.

Alexander Wang has a new video ad campaign for his Fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection.  The campaign was shot by Craig McDean and styled by Karl Templer.  It draws you in because of the speed of the images flashing across the screen as well as the sensuality of the movements.  The dimly lit room with paint chipped walls contrasted nicely with the luxury of the satin and lace fabrics in the collection.  Juxtaposing the gritty with the refined is one way to create visual interest, and it works.

The beautiful people came out tonight at Lincoln Center to hear the winners announced at the CFDA Awards.  There were very few surprises.  The big winner of the evening was Marc Jacobs for Womenswear Designer of the Year.  Take a look at the list of winners and nominees below to see if you agree with the outcome.

CFDA Winners:

Womenswear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs

Menswear Designer of the Year: Rag & Bone (Marcus Wainwright and David Neville)

Accessory Designer of the Year: Alexis Bittar

Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren

The Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Jason Wu

The Swarovski Award for Menswear: Richard Chai

The Swarovski Award for Accessory Design: Alexander Wang

The Jeffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement: Michael Kors 

CFDA Special Award Tribute: Lee McQueen of Alexander McQueen

The Eugenia Sheppard Journalism Award – Kim Hastreiter (Paper Magazine)

The International Award – Christopher Bailey (Burberry Prorsum) 

The Eleanor Lambert Award – Tonne Goodman (Vogue)

Icon Award: Iman

Nominees:

Womenswear Designers of the Year – Donna Karan, Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs

Menswear Designers of the Year - Michael Bastian, Tom Ford and Rag & Bone (David Neville and Marcus Wainwright)

Accessory Designer of the Year - Alexis Bittar, Proenza Schouler (Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez) and Marc Jacobs

Swarovski Awards For Womenswear - Joseph Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu

The Swarovski Award for Menswear – Simon Spurr, Patrik Ervell and Richard Chai

The Swarovski Award For Accessory Design – Dana Lorenz, Alexander Wang and Eddie Borgo

CFDA Special  Award Tribute – Alexander McQueen

The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award – Michael Kors

The Eugenia Sheppard Journalism Award – Kim Hastreiter (Paper Magazine)

The International Award – Christopher Bailey (Burberry Prorsum) 

The Eleanor Lambert Award – Tonne Goodman (Vogue)

The Fashion Icon Award – Iman

Related Updates: CFDA Announces Fashion Awards Finalists

The Gap has a new limited-edition collection with 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners Sophie Theallet, Patrik Ervell and Monique Pean.  A new pop-store opened today on Fifth Avenue to showcase Theallet’s womenswear, Ervell’s menswear and Pean’s jewelry.  Last year the Gap collaborated with Alexander Wang and Vena Cava on a more casual khaki collection.  The womenswear collection has Theallet’s signature aesthetic of  fuller skirts, and includes silk dresses and T-Shirts made from jersey cotton and chiffon.  They are priced from $148 to $300.  Sustainable jewelry made from organic materials like watersnake skin beads, coconut shells and buffalo horns are also available.  Pean’s jewelry goes from $38 to $248.  Men will find white button-down shirts, cotton jeans and blazers from $188 to $248. 

Gap’s CFDA Collection Features Chiffon, Sustainable Jewelry [Racked NY]

When I say sweatpants you think, the gym.  That would usually be the correct answer, but we now live in an alternate universe where sweatpants are associated with luxury.  If designer Michael Kors has his way, you will be casually chic in a pair of cashmere sweatpants for $995.  I remember a time when the money crowd would rather be caught shopping the sales rack than be seen in public with sweats.  What’s changed?  Maybe all they needed were for said item to be made by top designers in the finest fabrics.  Kors is not alone, Alexander Wang was among the first to start this trend along with Isabel Marant for Spring 2010, then Rag & Bone and Bottega Veneta.  The trend appears to be catching on judging by the reported sales from designers and stores.  Will this be more than just a fad?  I doubt it, we have far too much history with sweats to fully find them acceptable for anything other than lounging or exercise.  It should go without saying that sweatpants should not be worn on a date, even if they are paired with Louboutins, your date will be left underwhelmed.  There’s a time and place for everything, and sweats may be fine for shopping, but not for fine dining.

The $1,000 Sweatpants  [WSJ]

Alexander Wang Fall 2010

Donna Karan Fall 2010

Marc Jacobs Fall 2010

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has announced the finalists for the 2010 Fashion Awards.  Who says social media is not a good source for breaking news?  Alexander Wang, Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs were each nominated for womenswear Designer of the Year.  Today has been a big news day for the CFDA, it announced earlier that Diane von Furstenberg would remain as president until 2012, and now the nominations.  Too bad we’ll have to wait until June 7th to find out who will walk away with the awards, but for now, we can always speculate.  Check out the list of other nominees for the coveted awards.

Other Nominees:

• Menswear Designers of the Year – Michael Bastian, Tom Ford and Rag & Bone (David Neville and Marcus Wainwright)
• Accessory Designer of the Year - Alexis Bittar, Proenza Schouler (Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez) and Marc Jacobs
• Swarovski Awards For Womenswear - Joseph Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu
• The Swarovski Award for Menswear – Simon Spurr, Patrik Ervell and Richard Chai
• The Swarovski Award For Accessory Design – Dana Lorenz, Alexander Wang and Eddie Borgo
• CFDA Special  Award Tribute – Alexander McQueen
• The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award – Michael Kors
• The Eugenia Sheppard Journalism Award – Kim Hastreiter (Paper Magazine)
• The International Award – Christopher Bailey (Burberry Prorsum) 
• The Eleanor Lambert Award – Tonne Goodman (Vogue)
• The Fashion Icon Award – Iman

It appears the Internet is playing a starring role in New York Fashion Week.  Several of the top designers are live streaming their runway shows this year.  Among them are Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, Rodarte, Calvin Klein, Ports 1961 and Isaac Mizrahi.  The move towards live streaming the shows online has been a growing trend from previous seasons, and momentum is building.  Will this shift jeopardize the week set aside for the fashion industry to congregate under one tent?  That remains to be seen, but until then here’s a schedule of the shows to watch online:

Alexander Wang – February 13th @ 5:oopm EST – Showstudio.com

Calvin Klein – February 18th @ 3:00pm EST – calvinkleincollections.com

Isaac Mizrahi – February 18th @ 12:00pm EST

Marc Jacobs – February 15 @ 8:00pm EST – marcjacobs.com

Ports 1961- February 11th @ 3:00pm EST – vogue.com

Rodarte – February 16th @ 12:00pm – Showstudio.com

You can add Zac Posen to a growing list of high-end designers choosing to launch a diffusion line.  The collection will be sold exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue.  Z Spoke will be available next spring at prices far lower than the Zac Posen collection. 

Think sportwears instead of the avant garde pieces we’ve grown to expect from this young designer.  The line will be priced between $75 to $675, a mere bargain compared to the Zac Posen collection which sells between $900 and $12,000.  Separates are the foundation of the collection and you will have your selection of knits, cotton and khakis.

Diffusion lines have been the answer in an ailing economy.  We’ve seen lower-priced collections from Alexander Wang, Doo-Ri Chung and Thakoon Panichgul this year alone.  Temperley is also launching a diffusion line due out next spring, at about the same time Z Spoke will be available at Saks.   

Zac Posen’s New Venture [WWD]

Z Spoke (Zac Posen’s Diffusion Line) [The Fashion Spot]