CFDA Awards 2022: Women Designers Claim Top Honors

American fashion designers, celebrities, and fashion figures gathered in New York on Monday for the annual CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Awards, honoring the industry’s top and rising stars.

This year again Emily Bode Aujla of Bode won American menswear designer of the year and took the award home for the second year in a row.

The American womenswear Designer of the Year award went to Catherine Holstein of Khaite. Other nominees in this category included Christopher John Rogers, Gabriela Hearst, Laquan Smith and Peter Do. 

Elena Velez was named emerging designer of the year for her work famous for the non-traditional synthesis of metalsmith and high fashion, up against other nominees Bach Mai, Carly Mark of Puppets and Puppets, KidSuper’s Colm Dillane, and Lauren Harwell Godfrey of Harwell Godfrey. 

“An emerging designer award gives them visibility, amplifies their business, and gives them access and opportunity, and that’s something they need to grow and advance,” says CaSandra Diggs, president of the CFDA. “We’re always excited for that award because it’s the industry saying, we see you and we want to support you and we want to amplify you.”

“We support designers, from students to emerging to established to famous, really the whole lifeline,” adds CFDA CEO Steven Kolb. “Young talent is such an important, needed area to pay attention to.” This year marks the CFDA’s 60th anniversary, with changes to come for the American fashion industry. 

-Staff Reporter