The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Welcome to News Bites, BoF's regular feature of the stories that get the industry talking.
Anna Wintour steps down from CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund judging panel.
On Monday, the CFDA announced the latest class of finalists for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the annual design competition launched in 2003. The winner of the four-month-long competition for emerging designers will receive $400,000, and two runners up will each receive $150,000 — both in addition to mentorship from industry experts.
The 2017 competition, however, brings with it a significant change in the judging panel. Condé Nast artistic director and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is absent from the committee.
The editor’s presence and sharp opinions are a hallmark of the initiative, especially after the competition became the subject of an unscripted television series, “The Fashion Fund,” during the 2013 competition.
"While Anna's schedule won't allow day-to-day involvement with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, she is still incredibly visible in the entire process and competition," said Steven Kolb, president and chief executive of the CFDA. "She is aware of each of the applicants, and will be meeting with them in a private setting and attending all CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund events."
The 2017 competition welcomes four new judges to the program, including two rising stars connected to Vogue: Nicole Phelps, director of Vogue Runway, and Eva Chen, head of fashion partnerships at Instagram and former editor-in-chief of Lucky Magazine, where she worked closely with Wintour.
In addition, 2011 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winner Joseph Altuzarra and Saks Fifth Avenue senior vice president and fashion director Roopal Patel are also joining the selection committee. Returning judges include Kolb, CFDA chairwoman Diane von Furstenberg, Vogue's Mark Holgate, Jeffrey Kalinsky and Andrew Rosen.
As in past years, the designers will travel to Los Angeles in October for a fashion show, and the winner will be announced in New York on November 6. This year, there will not be a television show. “The Fashion Fund” debuted on the Ovation channel in 2014. Amazon picked up the series in 2015, airing it alongside a retail capsule of product from the finalists. Full episodes of the 2016 competition were not released.
Read on for the list of finalists of the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund:
Ahlem Manai-Platt of Ahlem
Becca McCharen-Tran of Chromat
Christopher Bevans of Dyne
Victor Glemaud
Jordan Askill
Matthew Harris of Mateo New York
Eli Azran of RtA
Sandy Liang
Telfar Clemens of Telfar LLC
Patric DiCaprio, Bryn Taubensee, David Moses & Claire Sully of Vaquera
Do you have a story for News Bites? Email newsbites@businessoffashion.com.
From analysis of the global fashion and beauty industries to career and personal advice, BoF’s founder and CEO, Imran Amed, will be answering your questions on Sunday, February 18, 2024 during London Fashion Week.
The State of Fashion 2024 breaks down the 10 themes that will define the industry in the year ahead.
Imran Amed reviews the most important fashion stories of the year and shares his predictions on what this means for the industry in 2024.
After three days of inspiring talks, guests closed out BoF’s gathering for big thinkers with a black tie gala followed by an intimate performance from Rita Ora — guest starring Billy Porter.