Who won at the CFDA in red-carpet-heavy awards show?
When the stars come out
The annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards took place last week at the Lincoln Centre in New York, setting indicators for whose stock is up in fashion right now.
It is arguably the most important awards for American designers - a kind of fashion Oscars. A win can propel an emerging talent into the stratosphere. And a win for an established designer usually pushes their name into the international limelight.
However much mainstream media might spotlight the pretty girls in pretty dresses in a time of 24/7 celebrity culture, let's not forget that the core of the awards is supposed to be focused on the backstage talent.
The likes of Sofia Vergara "dazzling" in a tight green gown and a neck full of diamonds and emeralds aside, there was Hillary Clinton cracking a joke about her famous pantsuits while presenting an award to Oscar de la Renta, who has dressed her many times over the years.
Vera Wang got her lifetime achievement award, presented by Ralph Lauren.
The international designer award went to Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy. Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler took home the womenswear designer of the year award, beating Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang.
Thom Browne won menswear designer of the year, over Michael Bastian and Duckie Brown founders Steven Cox and Daniel Silver.
Like many fashion events these days, the circus on the red carpet outside almost overshadows what's happening inside. With incessant coverage of the "best and worst dressed" of the night, the media has decided on their own unofficial CFDA winners and losers.
Overall, Nicole Richie "wowed" in a slinky but simple liquid metallic gown, Alessandra Ambrosio showed off her Victoria's Secret figure in a backless white number, Miranda Kerr continued to charm with that smile (and body) and Rooney Mara looked her usual impeccable self. I wonder if the designers feel that celebrities are stealing their thunder?
