The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Salutes the Best of American Fashion at The New York Public Library

Evening generously underwritten by Swarovski

Last night, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced the winners and lauded the special honorees at the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards. Vera Wang was named Womenswear Designer of the Year, John Varvatos was named Menswear Designer of the Year, and Marc Jacobs was named Accessory Designer of the Year. Derek Lam won Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Womenswear, while Alexandre Plokhlov for Cloak won for Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Menswear, and Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong for Anthony Nak won the Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Accessory Design.

Designer Diane Von Furstenberg was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award; Alber Elbaz, Artistic Director of Lanvin, received the International Award; Supermodel Kate Moss received the Award for Fashion Influence, while ELLE's publication director Gilles Bensimon received the Eugenia Sheppard Award, and fashion designer Norma Kamali was given the Board of Directors' Special Tribute.

The evening began with a preview of the new documentary "Seamless," which tells the story of 10 emerging American designers who were the finalists for the first annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and an affecting speech about her experiences as an emerging fashion designer, by Doo-Ri Cheung, who was featured in the film.

Also in attendance were luminaries from the fashion and entertainment worlds, including Anderson Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Alan Cumming, Catherine Deneuve, Claire Danes, David Bowie & Iman, Daria Werbowy, Emmy Rossum, Eva Mendes, Gretchen Moll, Heidi Klum, Joan Allen, Karolina Kurkova, Liev Schreiber, Linda Evangelista, Mandy Moore, Nicole Richie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seal, Twyla Tharp and more than 100 members of the CFDA.

"Our evening celebrates an industry filled with diverse, uniquely American, talent. In both the emerging and established designer categories, the American fashion industry is a vital, competitive force in the global market," said Peter Arnold, Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The Awards annually honor fashion's most eminent and established designers, journalists, and creative visionaries for their originality and leadership in American fashion.

"It was exciting moment to see Derek, Aleandre and Anthony & Nak win the Swarovski Perry Ellis Award. We are delighted to once again continue our role as a mentor to the nominees and to be a part of this huge step in their careers. We hope to support and encourage the caliber of success that previous Swarovski Perry Ellis Award winners such as Zac Posen and Proenza Schouler have achieved," said Nadja Swarovski, Vice President of International Communications, Swarovski.

The star-studded evening is underwritten by Swarovski, the internationally renowned purveyor of cut crystal. Swarovski commissioned the talented Dutch design duo, Studio Job, to incorporate their glamorous crystals into a dramatic "Magic Mirror" that had a live video-feed of the red carpet arrivals beamed into Astor Hall, site of the evening's cocktail reception. For dinner, guests were escorted to the Library's Celeste Bartos Forum for dinner by New York's Parisian eatery Balthazaar, followed by dessert and the Awards ceremony. KCD, the event's producer, transformed the Celeste Bartos Forum into a modern-day "supper club" with Tony Okungbowa, the energetic DJ from "The Ellen Degeneres Show," who created a lively atmosphere during the Awards presentation. Lloyd + (Co) designed the journal for the night as well as the all the graphic representation for the Awards.

  The winners and honorees of the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards are:

   Womenswear Designer of the Year
   Vera Wang

   Menswear Designer of the Year
   John Varvatos

   Accessory Designer of the Year
   Marc Jacobs

   Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Womenswear
   Derek Lam

   Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Menswear
   Alexandre Plokhov

   Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Accessory Design
   Anthony Camargo & Nak Armstrong for Anthony Nak

   Lifetime Achievement Award
   Diane Von Furstenberg

   Award for Fashion Influence
   Kate Moss

   International Award
   Alber Elbaz
   Artistic Director, Lanvin

   Eugenia Sheppard Award for Fashion Journalism
   Gilles Bensimon
   Publication Director
   ELLE

   Board of Directors' Special Tribute
   Norma Kamali

Nominees, honorees, and winners were determined by a selection committee comprised of CFDA members, leading fashion journalists, and top retail executives. Ernst & Young LLP was the official accounting firm of the Awards

For images please visit: Gettyimages.com and PatrickMcMullan.com

Ernst & Young LLP is the official accounting firm of the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

L'Oreal Professionnel & Richard Calcasola/Maximus Spa and Salon are the Official Hair Sponsor for the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

M.A.C. Cosmetics & Luc Bouchard Official Make-Up Sponsor for the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

Evian is the official spring water of the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

Continental Airlines is the official airline of the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

60 Thompson, a Thompson Hotel, is the official hotel of the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

One9ine is the official web designer of cfda.com and the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards

About the CFDA

Founded in 1962, the CFDA, a non-profit trade association, counts over 250 of America's leading designers among its membership. The goal of the CFDA is "to further the position of fashion design as a recognized branch of American art and culture, to advance its artistic and professional standards, to establish and maintain a code of ethics and practices of mutual benefit in professional, public, and trade relations, and to promote and improve public understanding and appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in quality and taste."

CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation, which was organized to raise funds for charity and industry activities, and to increase public awareness through its various initiatives. The Foundation, with the support of the CFDA membership, raises funds for its scholarship programs; Fashion Targets Breast Cancer; HIV/AIDS research, education and prevention; and a variety of other causes, most recently, in response to the September 11 crisis, CFDA/Vogue "Fashion for America." Net proceeds, if any, from the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards, will benefit the CFDA Foundation.

Source: Council of Fashion Designers of America

CONTACT: Billy Daley of KCD, +1-212-590-5100 - phone, +1-212-590-5101 -
fax, or daley@kcdworldwide.com

Web site: http://www.cfda.com/