CFDA Fashion Awards 2013: The Winners

The Council of Fashion Designers of America presented the winners of the CFDA Awards for 2013 last Monday, June 3 and as expected, the event did not disappoint. It is, after all, one of the most awaited annual fashion events in the industry. Held in New York’s Lincoln Center, this year the event was even more highly anticipated because Hillary Clinton was lined-up to present the Eleanor Lambert Founders Award to her long-time friend Oscar de la Renta. In her speech, she praised the designer saying, "His style and personality have permeated our culture and shaped the industry for decades. His name alone evokes elegance and timeless beauty, and his designs give each of us a chance like we're special too."

  

Big winners of the night were Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler for Womenswear Designer of the Year, Thom Browne for Menswear Designer of the Year and Phillip Lim for Accessories Designer of the Year. Vera Wang was presented the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award while Riccardo Tisci received the International Award as was presented by his favorite muse, Jessica Chastain. 

Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez with award presenter Kerry Washington for Womenswear Designer of the Year

Menswear Designer of the Year, Thom Browne with award presenter Dan Stevens

   Accessories Designer of the Year, Phillip Lim

Vera Wang with Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award presenter Ralph Lauren

International Designer of the Year awardee, Riccardo Tisci with presenter Jessica Chastain

Emerging talents, Max Osterweis and Erin Beatty for Suno were given Swarovski's Womenswear Designer of the Year Award. Dai-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osbourne were awarded the Swarovski’s Menswear Designer of the Year Award for their Public School line and Pamela Love won the Swarovski’s Accessories Designer of the Year Award. Supermodel Linda Evangelista presented the Media Awards winner to Tim Blanks. The Board of Directors Tribute went to Colleen Atwood for her work in the films Snow White and the Huntsman and Alice in Wonderland.

Swarovski Creative Director, Nadja Swarovski with Swarovski Award for Womenswear Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis for Suno

Public School’s Dao-Yi Chao and Maxwell Osbourne with presenters Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth

And here are some of my choices for the best dressed attendees of the event.

Miranda Kerr in blue and green dress by Proenza Schouler

Kerry Washington was a ray of sunshine on a rainy day on June 3 in this yellow gown by Jason Wu

Rooney Mara in a Calvin Klein black laser-cut silk dress

Nicole Richie is all Hollywood glamour in this slinky gold dress by Marc Jacobs 

Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio was rocking in this white off-shoulder Kaufmanfranco dress

Hilary Rhoda in a Helmut Lang dress

Olivia Palermo in a playful Dennis Basso number

Edgy but elegant is how I would describe Vera Wang in her own creation