What do the new CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund class and the New York Knicks have in common? Two words: exceptional talent. On Wednesday evening—right before game four of the NBA finals—familiar faces from fashion filled into NoHo hotspot Jean’s to fete the ten finalists during a cocktail reception co-hosted by Nordstrom.
Over a sea full of Knicks hats and avant-garde attire, Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA, noted the correlation. “There’s something about what we’re experiencing with the Knicks right now that is happens every year with the Fashion Fund. New York is rooting for these exceptional athletes to win, and we are rooting for exceptional fashion designers to win,” Kolb said. “Because when young designers win, American fashion wins, and that’s what CFDA really stands for and what this Fund has been doing for 23 years. The designers in the program should know: we’re rooting for you and we hope the best for you.”
Cheers, loud enough to rival those at Madison Square Garden, erupted. But the evening was more than just a celebration of local talent; it was about the essence of American fashion. “As the U.S. celebrates it 250th birthday this year, we at Vogue have been honing in on the American narratives that we’re proudest of. That’s in our summer issue, but also in our partnership with the CFDA,” added Chloe Malle, Vogue’s head of editorial content. “Our finalists this year really exemplify that. They are flying the flag for American fashion.” (Malle was notably clad in an Altuzzara gown that paid tribute to her interview with the designer back in 2011 when he was a finalist.)
With wine glasses in one hand and mini lobster rolls in the other, attendees toasted to that assessment. Conversation continued to swirl amongst the designers, eager to mingle with their peers and swap stories from the competition.
Being named a finalist is the culmination of years of hard work for the designers. “If you get to create for a living and share your designs of your little world with others, you want others to win. You know how it feels. Just being a top ten finalist means we’re all winners, so everything else is a cherry on top,” Julia Ferentinos, the founder of jewelry brand Juju Vera, told Vogue. “Oh, and go Knicks!”
Alternating between animated chatter and bites of Jean’s fan-favorite chocolate chip cookies, the designers and their family and friends beamed with pride. To George Inaki of fine jewelry brand Milamore, the evening marked the pinnacle of his American dream coming true: “I just got goosebumps. It’s so surreal for me to be in this crowd with the leading fashion designers of America. As an immigrant—I was born in the Philippines and I grew up in Japan—being part of this such an honor. Fine jewelry and fashion don’t always co-exist. I feel like there can be a disconnect—and I’m happy to be the bridge between those two.”
As the last crumbs of dessert were consumed, the sun outside was setting, and there was a Knicks game to get to—although many guests were reluctant to leave. After all, a celebration of incredible young talent is always cause to linger a little longer.
