Every year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America — otherwise known as the CFDA — announces their annual award nominations for the year — this year, it was interesting to say the least.
Last year’s CFDA Awards was a sight to behold, mostly thanks to Issa Rae she she wore an “Every Nigga Is a Star” sash while hosting the night of fashion. The sash was by none other than one of my favorite designers, Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, and Rae made history that night as the first black woman in the event’s history to be honored as a host. Whew.
At the time, Jean-Raymond was up for the Emerging Designer nomination, later winning THE CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. The win was what was responsible for catapulting him into fashion fandom amongst all of the sartorial elite. Today, Jean-Raymond is back for the 2019 Awards, this time up for Menswear Designer of the Year.
We may notice a few other names in the different hats this year, like Virgil Abloh of Louis Vuitton and Off-White, Telfar Clemens of Telfar Global, as well as the ones that mainstream would recognize, such as Brandon Maxwell, Rosie Asosulin, Marc Jacobs, etc.
There have been changes amongst the CFDA recently, including Tom Ford’s recent appointment as chairman. And despite the changes happening externally, there seems to be a few things that are staying the same — the lack of Black representation across the board. I’m interested in seeing where the Black female designers are amongst the CFDA, and who, besides Tracey Reese or Aurora James, can the committee see and highlight? It feels slightly disconcerting considering we make culture, after all. Considering we wear the clothes and make it fly or we receive honors and awards while wearing something that a designer created, and seemingly overnight, we change lives.
I’m not saying that the honors that have been bestowed on Black people through the CFDA doesn’t count, but the fact that we can count on one hand how many black women have been nominated or won a CFDA award is…interesting. Especially when we have a plethora of talented Black designers everywhere. The lack of resources, money, and support from the internal and external community begs the question of when diversity isn’t enough anymore, and inclusivity becomes the seed of measurement for us all.
Anywho, here are this year’s nominations. Let me know your thoughts!
Womenswear Designer of the Year
Brandon Maxwell
Marc Jacobs
Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte
Rosie Assoulin
Sander Lak for Sies Marjan
Menswear Designer of the Year
Mike Amiri for Amiri
Virgil Abloh for Off-White
Kerby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss
Rick Owens
Thom Browne for Thom Browne New York
Accessory Designer of the Year
Jennifer Fisher for Jennifer Fisher Jewelry
Virgil Abloh for Off-White
Tabitha Simmons
Telfar Clemens for Telfar
Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row
Emerging Designer of the Year
Emily Adams Bode for Bode
Beth Bugdaycay for Foundrae
Heron Preston
Catherine Holstein for Khaite
Sarah Staudinger and George Augusto for Staud
