House of Waris

>> Tiffany & Co. has made a $1 million gift to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund: The resultant three-year partnership includes a one-time, $250,000 business development grant for one of the nine jewelry designers who has been a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist since the competition's 2004 launch. These designers include Eddie Borgo, Pamela Love, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Monique Pean, Irene Neuwirth, Philip Crangi, Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta, Anthony Nak's Nak Armstrong and Anthony Camargo (who shuttered their line last year), and Dean Harris. Each designer has received an application for the grant, and a winner will be named this Summer. “As a leader in the jewelry industry, it is important to us that the next generation of talented jewelry designers is able to succeed in the face of the many business challenges they face,” said Tiffany chairman and CEO Michael J. Kowalski. “Partnering with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, this grant is intended to continue to develop jewelry as an important field of design.” [WWD]

>> Wednesday evening, Vera Wang moved almost all of the furniture out of her vast Park Avenue apartment to toast this year's 26 new CFDA inductees. “It may not be as big as Donna Karan’s loft, but I can fit you all in,” Wang said of her duplex, which she estimated was hosting 300 guests. Tommy Hilfiger and wife Dee Ocleppo were impressed, however — The Cut caught them exclaiming: “It's amazing. The kitchen is sick. Our kitchen is like, a tenth of that size. That's like a restaurant kitchen.”

The new members include: Waris Ahluwalia — who said of the honor, “I feel like I almost should put this on my passport as my fashion visa. It's nice to make this baby official!", Steven Alan, Lisa Axelson of Ann Taylor, Lubov Azria, Shane Baum of Baumvision, Vicki Beamon and Karen Erickson of Erickson Beamon, George Esquivel, Robert Geller, Gary Graham, Ulrich Grimm of Calvin Klein, Sang A Im-Propp, Anthony Keegan of Commonwealth Utilities, Adam Kimmel, Nikki Kule of Kule, Kimberly McDonald, Rebecca Minkoff, Bibhu Mohapatra, Juan Carlos Obando, Monique Péan, Monica Rich Kosann, Pamella Roland, Robert Rodriguez, L'Wren Scott, Shelly Steffee, and Sophie Theallet, who just moved into a new office space.

Twelve American designers have been granted studio space at reduced-rents by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and New York City Economic Development Corporation.

The first tenants of the CFDA Fashion Incubator program are: Alice Ritter, Sophie Theallet, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Rachel Dooley of Gemma Redux, Grant Krajecki of Grey Ant, Waris Ahluwalia of House of Waris, Joel Diaz of Jolibe, Alison Lewis of the Lewis label, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School, Yuvi Alpert and Danna Kobo of Ruby Kobo and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry.

Designers received two-year leases on their new homes at 209 West 38th street—a building which also offers common areas for editorial and sales appointments or runway presentations.

Source: Getty

>> The CFDA Fashion Incubator, announced last October in partnership with New York City's Mayor Bloomberg, has its first twelve tenants.  Among those named as part of the inaugural group of designers: Alice Ritter, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, Gemma Redux's Rachel Dooley, Grey Ant's Grant Krajecki, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Jolibe's Joel Diaz, Lewis's Alison Lewis, Public School's Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, Ruby Kobo's Yuvi Alpert and Danna Kobo, and Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta.

The designers each received two-year leases on design studio spaces ranging from 800 to 1,000 square feet at 209 West 38th Street in Manhattan, with subsidized, below-market rental rates of between $1,500 and $2,000 per month.  To earn a spot, the designers had to submit a business plan, show they had "substantive editorial coverage" and orders from high-level retailers, have been in business for over a year and a half, and be supporting a staff.

Anna Wintour hosted an annual event for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists Wednesday night in her West Village townhouse. The ten designers gather chez Wintour to showcase fashion fund-sponsored design projects and mingle with past finalists and current CFDA members.

This year Google's Marissa Mayer was the guest of honor, as each finalist was challenged with designing pieces inspired by the Google search engine. (In 2008 and 2009 the project was sponsored by L'Oreal Paris color cosmetics.)

Designers arrived with models (Alexa Adams and Flora Gill of Ohne Titel with Dree Hemingway) and actresses (Waris Ahluwalia of House of Waris with Rose Byrne) to show off their one-of-a-kind creations. George Esquivel dressed Kemp Muhl in colorful "Google shoes" with search box back tags, and Wayne Lee designed a neoprene vest that could carry a 15 inch laptop.

The event was also attended by Vena Cava's Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock, Rogan Gregory, Thom Browne, Rachel Roy, Vera Wang, Patrick Robinson, and Georgina Chapman.

[WWD]

Although we mentioned the star-studded cover story, our personal favorite sitting from the November issue of Vogue, on newsstands today, is that introducing the ten 2009 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists.

In its six years, the fashion fund has nurtured and championed young, American design talent such as Proenza Schouler, Doo-Ri Chung, Alexander Wang, Rodarte and Philip Crangi.

Today Vogue.com has interviews with each of the 2009 finalists—Sophie Theallet, House of Waris, Ohne Titel, Wayne, Esquivel Shoes, Monique Péan, Gary Graham, Spurr, Patrik Ervell, and Alabama Chanin. “We had very strong applicant pool this year, particularly among the jewelers,” said Vogue's Anna Wintour in a statement. “The ten finalists we selected are a talented, diverse group, who are building healthy independent businesses in challenging times.”

The winner, who will be paired with an industry mentor and receive a $200,000 cash prize, and two runners-up will be announced at an event on November 16 in New York.

Alexa Adams (left) and Flora Gill with artist Tauba Auerbach.

Source: Norman Jean Roy/Vogue