The 67th annual Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards (CFDA Fashion Awards) took place last Monday night. The event has been labeled the “Oscars of Fashion,” as it brings together some of the nuggets and newest names in fashion. Fashion creatives, celebrities and influencers alike all dress up for a night dedicated to the artistry and evolution of the fashion world.
Living up to the name of the event, the attendees made sure not to disappoint when it came to their red-carpet fashion. The carpet, which was white for the event, was filled with stunning style from trendsetters to the biggest names in the industry following the dress code, “Archival American Fashion.” Some of the newer faces at the ceremony included influencer and TikTok star, Addison Rae. Rae walked the carpet wearing a vintage Gareth Pugh muted gray gown with a cowl neckline and hood. The dress also featured a long black cape that Addison matched with a pair of black pointed heels. Another influencer that attended the event is one that goes by a name that precedes her fashion style, bestdressed. Ashley Rous, also known as bestdressed online, is known for her fashion and lifestyle YouTube videos. Rous was also dressed in vintage; a lovely Christian Dior gown that the influencer even altered by hand.
Individuals in the fashion industry were spotted on the carpet including fashion model Gigi Hadid sported a punk look in a Thom Browne jockstrap that she paired with a nose ring. American superstar Cher wore a black leather Chrome Hearts slit dress. The Kar-Jenner clan walked the carpet in looks representative of each of their personal styles. Kim Kardashian wore a Dolce and Gabbana translucent latex dress and Kylie Jenner sported a vintage Thierry Mugler gown. Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour, wore a classic Chanel tweed dress and matching jacket.
The CFDA Fashion Awards partnered with Amazon Fashion this year and awarded the first-ever Innovation Award to Kim Kardashian alongside co-founders Jens and Emma Grede, for the shapewear brand, Skims. The Skims company has become incredibly successful over the past couple of years for its innovative and size-inclusive shapewear designs. Kim Kardashian told reporters, “I pinch myself all the time just thinking of these amazing opportunities and the things that have come my way. I’m just so proud of my Skims team.”
Lenny Kravitz received special recognition from the CFDA and was awarded the Fashion Icon Award for his years of stellar personal style and fabulous looks. The award was presented to the star by Bradley Cooper who stated, “There is no other musician alive today who wears leather and leopard-like Lenny.” The musical artist wore LaQuan Smith black leather pants paired with an ostrich feather boa as he announced in his acceptance that, “being yourself is the most important thing you can do.”
Virgil Abloh, the former American Fashion Designer who unfortunately passed late last year, also received special recognition from the council. Abloh has been nominated for several CFDA Fashion Awards in the past but has never won. In honor of Virgil Abloh making waves in the fashion industry, he was awarded the posthumous Board of Trustees award. Aurora James, the presenter of Abloh’s award stated Virgil, “reconfigured the imagination of countless young people when they think of what it means to be a fashion designer.”
This year’s CFDA awards were not only a moment to gush over beautiful red carpet looks, but it was a time to recognize a diverse group of fashion creatives that has never been seen before. Law Roach was awarded the Inaugural Stylist Award. In Roach’s acceptance speech he proclaimed, “There’s a lot of Black people in this room, so y’all better give me some energy.” The “Slaysians” won the Positive Social Influence Award. The Slaysians are a group of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) individuals from the “House of Slay” whose mission is to stop the spread of Asian hate. Patti Wilson, a fashion editor and stylist, was awarded the Media Award in which she said, “when I was coming up in fashion I was one of the few, if not the only Black person in the room.” It’s an incredibly significant moment to recognize that half of the CFDA awards went to people of color and a marking moment in the fashion world.
The CFDA Fashion Awards has always been a place to commemorate and celebrate some of the biggest names in fashion and recognize stunning looks. But now it has become something altogether bigger. The CFDA Awards is a place to recognize diversity and innovation in the fashion world. The event welcomes creatives from different backgrounds honoring their successes and contributions to the ever-changing industry.
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