Although the 2020 Council of Fashion Designers of American (CFDA) Fashion Awards are going ahead, the presence of Covid-19 means there are going to be a few changes this year. The in-person ceremony, which industry insiders sometimes refer to as a ‘fashion prom’ has been postponed. Rather than an in-person event like usual, the winners will be revealed virtually on September 14. Winners of the various design categories will appear on CFDA.com as well as the CFDA’s social media channels.
Tom Ford, the chairman of the CFDA, explains that in spite of 2020’s changes and challenges, it is still very important to recognize the nominees at the forefront of creative fashion. Hopefully, says Ford, 2021 will see an in-person ceremony again.
This year’s edition is going to focus on awarding the top fashion creative in American menswear and womenswear, as well as accessories and emerging talent. In addition, global design is a category which includes both menswear and womenswear.
Categories that are not going to feature this year include the Award for Positive Change, the Founder’s Award, the Fashion Icon Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award. Also, the usual pageantry and pomp, celebrity appearances, brand reps, musicians, stars and more associated with the ceremony, will be missing. The CFDA is instead of putting all its efforts into the promotion of the future of fashion, and helping labels suffering as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Steven Kolb, president and CEO of the CFDA, explains they will be prioritizing new and existing programs to support the designer community during the time of Coronavirus. This will be done by directing efforts towards the next generation of scholarships, as well as bringing racial equality to the fashion industry and making other important changes. The CFDA hopes to continue raising money to support this work, and says the annual gala is their biggest fundraiser.
The 2020 list of nominees includes designers who have been nominated before or won awards previously. This year might bring a completely different event, but a lot of the names will be familiar.
This is the complete list of nominees for 2020:
American Menswear Designer Of The Year: Thom Browne, Emily Adams for Bode, Kerby Jean-Raymond for Pyer Moss, Tom Ford, and Todd Snyder
American Womenswear Designer Of The Year: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Brandon Maxwell, and Gabriela Hearst
American Accessories Designer Of The Year: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row, Stuart Vevers for Coach, Jennifer Fisher for Jennifer Fisher Jewelry, Gabriela Hearst, and Telfar Clemens for Telfar
Global Men’s Designer Of The Year: Jonathan Anderson for Loewe, Virgin Abloh for Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones for Dior, Craig Green, and Dries Van Noten
Global Women’s Designer Of The Year: Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino, Dries Van Noten, Rick Owens, Miuccia Prada for Prada, and Daniel Lee for Bottega Veneta
American Emerging Designer Of The Year: Kenneth Nicholson, Sarah Staudinger and George Augusto for Staud, Peter Do, Reese Cooper, and Christopher John Rogers