The fashion crowd came out in full force Wednesday night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund at a cocktail party and dinner at the Monkey Bar in New York, supported by Gap Inc.
Among the guests were Jean Paul Gaultier, David and Victoria Beckham, Simon Porte Jacquemus, Gabby Thomas, Honey Dijon, Tommy and Dee Hilfiger, Jenna Lyons, Winnie Harlow, Aurora James, Jordan Roth, Willy Chavarria, Christopher John Rogers, Joseph Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung, Richard Dickson and Zac Posen.
“When we launched this program two decades ago, I don’t think we knew the profound impact it would have on the American global fashion landscape,” said Steven Kolb, chief executive officer of the Council of Fashion Designers of America — it has “actually launched the careers of so many designers and a new generation of American talent, and many of you are here tonight.”
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The highlight of the evening was the naming of L’Enchanteur’s Dynasty and Soull Ogun as this year’s recipient of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award, which comes with $300,000 in prize money and mentorship opportunities.
“I feel very honored and blessed that we were really seen for who we’ve been and who we are,” Dynasty Ogun told WWD. “I feel like the judges really connected with us, and we connected with them.” She said going through the entire process “was such a privilege,” and enabled them to connect with the “upper echelon in the fashion world.
“They really saw us and said, ‘Be you, be who you are,'” she said.
Her identical twin sister, Soull Ogun, explained that their collection, which is known for its jewelry, is based on spirituality, incorporating spiritual symbols and mysticism. “It’s really about our healing journey,” she said. What propels them into an audience is having that conversation about healing.
With the prize money, they plan to “plant deeper roots” with the brand and expand the business. They want to understand more about gold mining and use jewelry as a stepping stone to understand natural resources.
The sisters have been in business in 2017, but as twins “we’ve been working together since 1984,” said Soull Ogun.
The two runners-up, who will receive $100,000 in prize money apiece, were Jackson Wiederhoeft of Wiederhoeft and Spencer Phipps of Phipps.
“It feels surreal,” said Wiederhoeft. With the prize money, he intends to deal with inventory management and hire someone. “We’re just two people,” he said. Known for his eveningwear and bridal collection, Wiederhoeft said the experience “has been great and really cool.”
Asked what he intends to do with the prize money, Phipps, a sustainable menswear designer, said, “It’s very expensive to make such beautiful garments. I expect to keep on going with that.”
When Gabby Thomas, the Olympic sprinter who won three gold medals in Paris this summer, presented the winners with their awards during the program, she said that her first big win happened when she won the NCAA championship her junior year in college. “I hope that the names that I’m about to read will feel this as their big win, and that will lead to many golden moments in the future,” said Thomas.
For the first time, The Gap, which is celebrating its 55th year in business, awarded the 20th Anniversary Mentorship Award Presented by Gap Inc. to Grace Ling. Zac Posen, executive vice president and creative director of Gap Inc., will serve as the mentor to Ling and she will join the 2025 selection committee for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Award.
Posen told the crowd that throughout his career he has had “amazing support” from other designers, and in fact, Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole underwrote his second collection without ever having met him. “They took a leap of faith and it changed my life,” said Posen. He always said that if there was an opportunity where he could give back to the next generation, he would.
“It was really a nice surprise,” Ling told WWD. “It’s a new award and I’m excited to push the boundaries and to make it into something really substantial.” With the financial grant, she hopes to hire someone for operations and plans to scale her new couture and direct-to-consumer business.
Tommy Hilfiger, one of the mentors, said “Grace Ling has such talent. She’s an artist but also a perfectionist.” He was equally impressed with L’Enchanteur’s designs. “You should have seen the denim they did last week [in the Design Challenge]. If they get the right business management, they’ll go places,” said Hilfiger.
The CFDA’s Kolb said how difficult it was this year to make a decision. “There was such extraordinary talent. You don’t get to be in the top 10 unless you’re doing something really good.” He said there was also such diversity this year. “You had jewelry, you had menswear, you had womenswear. There was something very special and unique about each.”
In addition to Dynasty and Soull Ogun of L’Enchanteur, Wiederhoeft, Phipps and Ling, this year’s finalists were Taylor Thompson of 5000; Connor McKnight; Kate Barton; Presley Oldham; Sebastien and Marianne Amisial of Sebastien Ami, and Jane Wade.
He said The Gap is now a big partner of the CFDA. When they were talking to Dickson, Gap Inc. CEO, and Posen, they thought about how to mark their support in a different way. “Can you imagine getting a year to spend with Zac and then you get the Gap infrastructure? It’s a double win,” he said.
He said all 10 finalists have special access “to a distinguished group of people.
“They don’t have to be shy about asking for help. You have this Easy Pass to knowledge that other young designers don’t have,” said Kolb.