Each year, the CFDA selects the best emerging designers and chooses finalists for the CFDA/Esquire Fashion Foundation — 10 potential creatives who best represent their craft compete to become the winner, with two runner-up spots also included. A fashion fundraiser for the past few years, the renowned Design Challenge has been on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, but after five long-awaited years, the Design Challenge is back, led by none other than Tommy Silver of Tommy Hilfiger. Design challenge at hand? Stripes and stars (not to be confused with stars and stripes, according to CFDA CEO Steven Kolb).
“This is the 20th anniversary of the CFDA/Eskume Fashion Fund. The Design Challenge gives us judges a chance to see how designers accomplish their tasks,” Kolb told Eskume, “We wanted to bring back some of our favorites from the Fashion Fund over the years. With the support of Tommy Hilfiger, we’re bringing back the Design Challenge, where, thanks to their generosity, each designer was awarded $10,000 to fulfill their mission.”
Earlier in the day, designers Sebastian Ami and Marianne Ami, Kate Barton, Grace Ling, Kang Connor McKnight, Soul and Dynasty Ogun (L’Enchanteur), Presley Oldham (Presley Oldham), Spencer Phipps (Phipps), Tyler Thompson (5000), Jane Wade and Jackson Wiederhoft arrived at the Warren Street Hotel where the iconic muse gave his personal interpretation of the stripes and stars theme. Upstairs, the designers met in a three-bedroom suite on the seventh floor to prepare for their meeting with the judges, anticipating a very friendly and supportive atmosphere among their peers competing for the same prestigious title. Next to a brocade sofa, jewelry designer Presley Oldham posed for an unforgettable selfie with his girlfriend Louisa Jacobson. The Girl actress is wearing a baroque beaded, diamond and moonstone halter top.
Nearby, Grace Ling, looking stunning as always, chatted with model Alex Consani, who wore long XL nails and a tailored black suit matching jacket and adorned with sculptural metal pins. In front of floor-to-ceiling windows, design duo L’Echanteur styled their beloved rapper Joey Bada$$ in an all-blue look with horoscope appliqués and a floor-length vest (forget that menswear is boring). Meanwhile, second-time fashion patron Jackson Wiederhoft hand-sewn the final touches to mimic AnnaSophia Robb’s dazzling white gown, which featured nearly 30,000 hand-set glass pearls and an incredibly cinched waist. Another fashion funder, Jen Wade, talked to Rob about the fateful coincidence the two had — Wade helped create Robb’s 2022 wedding dress while working at Daniel Frankel.
“It’s great to be back in 2022 and put everything I’ve learned to use at the Fashion Fund for the first time. The CFDA and Esquire have been great with their support of what I’ve done with Wiederhoft over the last two years. It’s meant a lot over the years,” Wiederhoft told Esquire. “It was really fun to use two different types of white pearls (to create subtle stripes). This look can be worn for nighttime, on the red carpet, or for bridal — and it turns out it’s a perfect fit for the right brand.”
As 6 p.m. approached and each candidate met the judges, a much-anticipated celebration and cocktail party kicked off downstairs in the Orangery. Spicy margaritas, red and white wines and plenty of snacks inspired party-goers to munch on snacks while marveling at the creations of stylish patrons. Attendees included Ivan Mock, Hilary Taymor, Victor Glemaud, Joseph Altuzarra, Sarah Pidgeon, Prabal Gurung, Kim Shui, Tanner Ritchie, Fletcher Cassell, Jonathan Cohn, Hunter Abrams, Derek Blasberg, Patrick Ta, Phil Oh, Selby Drummond, Drake Carr and many other prestigious CVFF designers.
“There’s so much talent in this room. It’s impressive. I’ve been on the CFDA board for over 30 years — many of you weren’t even born when we were in our offices on Seventh Avenue,” Hill said. The fashion community greeted the fundraisers with a warm welcome and expressed excitement over who would be announced as the lucky winner. Ogun Grace Ling, Alex Consani Hilary Taymor Ricky de Saul, Joseph Altujala King Water, Tommy Hilfiger, Tom Browne, Eva Chen, Presley Oldham, Jackson Wiederhoft, Tyler Thompson, Sebastian Amihil, Marianne Amihil, Kate Patton, Anna Wintour, Spencer Phipps, Tommy Hilfiger, Connor McKnight, Saul Ogun, Dynasty Ogun, Jane Wade, Steven Kolb, Grace Lynn Jacques Agboli, Gigi Bliss-O’Hara, Victoria Cato Grammer, Virginia Smith, Mark Guiducci, Patrick Towers, Nathan Presley Oldham, Luisa Jacobson Thaw Ogun, Joey Bada$$, Dynasty Ogun Aurora James, Tommy Hilfiger, Anna Wintour, Andrea Diaconu, Derek Blasberg, Ho Sey Clares-Unzueta, Virginia Smith, Hunter Abrams, Jane Wade, Eva Chen, Phil Oh, Batsheva O Taufik · Abizak, Jacques Abobli, Faye Noel Chloe Mahler, Mark Karimzadelia Garcia-Furtado, Willow Lindley Stevendu Bu, Hunter Abrams, Adam Ely, Selby Drummond, Naomi Ilizy, Kate Patton, Hayes Warner, Marion Amihil, Sebastian Amy Hill Thorne Goodman, Joseph Altuzarra, Marc Karimzadeh, Lisa Lockwood Jackson Wiederhoff, Tommy Hilfiger, Joey Bar$$ By Jennifer Fisher, Sean Liles, Connor McKnight Lenz, Feliz Daniel Frankel, Tanner Rich, Fletcher Cassell, Alex Chris Consani, Tommy Hilfiger, Steven Kolb, Leah Faye Cooper, Margo Ngububa, Hannah Jackson Taylor Thompson, Batsheva Hay, Rachel Scott, Henry Zenkopf, Nicole Phelps, Maria Cornejo, Raya Garcia-Furtado Spencer Phipps, Connor McKnight
