“This moment in history provides us with a unique chance to honor the imagination, ingenuity, and diversity that embody the American spirit,” said Steven Kolb, CEO and President of the CFDA. “Fashion has long contributed to our nation’s story—showcasing its resilience, celebrating individuality, and influencing cultures—and the CFDA is proud to be a part of the America250 celebration.” Participating designers include: Altuzarra, Amiri, APL, Bode, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Chloe Gosselin, Christopher John Rogers, Coach, Cult Gaia, Diane Von Furstenberg, Diotima, Donna Karan, Gabriela Hearst, Gap Inc., Kenneth Cole, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, TWP, and Willy Chavarria.
Much like crafting a runway collection, each flag was deeply informed by its designer’s specific lens, with the process wonderfully illuminated by the different ways creators think. Diane Von Furstenberg opted to celebrate “the power of kindness” with her “bold, eclectic, and fun” Connecticut flag. Diotima and Proenza Schouler’s Rachel Scott, who designed a flag for the US Virgin Islands, wanted something conceptual and referenced a Caribbean “intellectual tradition that holds opacity as a form of resistance.” “Diotima is rooted in the idea that the Caribbean produces its own ways of seeing and meaning—that there is a visual language native to these islands, and their people, that doesn’t need to look elsewhere for legitimacy,” Scott said. “The flag comes from that same place.” Zac Posen, executive vice president and creative director for Gap Inc. and chief creative officer for Old Navy, likewise took an abstract approach for California, the state where the New Yorker now spends half his time, and honed in on denim as an iconic textile of the Gold Rush and the American West. “GapStudio is artisanal and idea-driven, often beginning with hand-led creative processes,” Posen said. “The patchworked denim composition celebrates craft, texture, and construction while honoring the enduring connection between California, denim, and American style.”
Coach’s Stuart Vevers looked to “expressive, personal, and uniquely American” aspects of 19th-century patchwork quilts for Nevada. “Nevada has such a strong sense of character and mythology, from its wild horses to its association with UFO sightings, so we reinterpreted those symbols alongside prairie florals from the Coach archive and lyrics from the state’s official song,” he said. These influences and stories blended to create something entirely new. Tory Burch similarly highlighted this aspect for her home state of Pennsylvania, where she grew up with Pennsylvania Dutch quilts in her childhood home. Her flag incorporates a reimagined version of the Liberty Bell, with a star representing freedom and democratic ideals. “Pennsylvania is where the American story began,” Burch said. “I wanted to capture the craftsmanship, perseverance, and optimism that define the state, and the belief that progress is always possible through creativity, community, and hard work.” Fellow Pennsylvanian Thom Browne echoed that sentiment, noting that Pennsylvania is the state “where everything started.” Naturally, his flag comes in his signature gray.
