On Monday (June 6) A-list fashion designers, editors, actors and models gathered at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City to celebrate this year's top talents in the fashion industry.
The so called Oscars of fashion, aka CFDA Fashion Awards, finally announced its winners: as we previously wrote Italy took home the International Award thanks to Alessandro Michele’s work at Gucci, while the late David Bowie was honoured with the Tribute Award.
2016 CFDA winners list
Womenswear Designer of the Year
Marc Jacobs
Swarovski Award for Womenswear
Brandon Maxwell
Swarovski Award for Menswear
Orley: Alex Orley, Matthew Orley, Samantha Orley
Swarovski Award for Accessory Design
Paul Andrew
Menswear Designer of the Year
Thom Browne
Accessories Designer of the Year
Mansur Gavriel: Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel
Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Norma Kamali
The Founder’s Award in Honor of Eleanor Lambert
Donna Karan
International Award
Gucci: Alessandro Michele
The Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award
David Bowie
The Media Award in Honor of Eugenia Sheppard
Imran Amed, editor in chief of The Business of Fashion
One of the highlights of the night has to be Diane Von Furstenberg presenting Beyoncé with the Fashion Icon Award: the superstar took the stage in an eye-catching Givenchy outfit and made a touching speech about her family and the power of fashion.
Among the past Fashion Icon honorees we have Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Johnny Depp, Lady Gaga, Iman, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman.
Read Beyonce’s full speech:
“I feel so much love and I feel so proud right now. Thank you guys for this incredible honor. As long as I can remember, fashion has always been a part of my life. Its effect on me actually started before I was born. Most of you guys don’t know this but my grandmother was a seamstress. My grandparents did not have enough money and could not afford my mother’s Catholic school tuition, so my grandmother sewed clothes for the priests and the nuns, and made uniforms for the students in exchange for my mother’s education. She then passed this gift down to my mother and taught her how to sew.
When we were starting out in Destiny’s Child, high-end labels didn’t really want to dress four black, country, curvy girls. And we couldn’t afford designer dresses and couture. My mother was rejected from every showroom in New York. But like my grandmother, she used her talent and creativity to giver her children their dreams. My mother and my Uncle Johnny, God bless his soul, designed all of our first costumes and made each piece by hand, individually sewing hundreds of crystals and pearls, putting so much passion and love into ever small detail. When I wore these clothes on stage I felt like Khaleesi. I had an extra suit of armor. It was so much deeper than any brand name.
My mother — who’s so fabulous and beautiful and is here tonight, I love you — my grandmother, and my uncle were always with me so I could not fail. My mother actually designed my wedding dress, my prom dress, my first CFDA Awards dress, my first Grammy dress, and the list goes on and on and this to me is the true power and potential of fashion. It’s a tool for finding your own identity, expression, and strength. It transcends style and is a time capsule of all of our greatest milestones. So to my mother, my uncle, my grandma, thank y’all. Thank you for showing me that having a presence is far more than the clothes you wear and your physical beauty. Thank you for showing me to never take no for an answer. Thank you for showing me how to take risks, work hard, and live life on my own terms.
I want to say thank you to every designer who works tirelessly to make people feel like they can write their own stories. Y’all are fairy godmothers, magicians, sculptors, and sometimes even therapists. I encourage you to not forget this power you have or take it lightly. We have an opportunity to contribute to a society where any girl can look at a billboard or magazine cover and see her own reflection. Soul has no color, no shape, no form. Just like all your work it goes so far beyond what the eyes can see. You have the power to change perception, to inspire and empower, to show people how to embrace their complications and flaws and see the true beauty that’s inside all of us. Thank you so much for this incredible award I’ll never forget this night. Got bless y’all.”
These words are truly inspiring, we appreciate that she took that moment to thank all the people that worked hard to support her career. Isn't this a true Queen?
Ok, let's not forget the purpose of this article: what about the red carpet?
Best Dressed
Beyoncé in Givenchy
Demure, elegant, classic, costumy...call it as you want it, but this look to us is a win.
We all were expecting the next sheer embellished gown, but Beyoncé surprised all of us in a crystals-embellished Givenchy suit.
The hat is a reminder of the Lemonade's era, as well as a smart advertise for her Formation World Tour.
Fashion as a communication tool: the queen slayed again.
Elsa Hosk in Naeem Khan, Shanina Shaik in Givenchy, Jessica Hart in The Row
Elsa Hosk stole our hearts wearing a custom Naeem Khan gold jumpsuit.
This look could have easily looked messy, if overstyled: fortunately this is not the case, because at the end of the day it's not simple to deal with net, sheer patterns, metallic emebellishments and fringes at the same time!
The new Victoria's Secret angel completed her look with statement earrings, light make-up and elegant waves.
Australian beauty Shanina Shaik opted for something less flashy, as she wore a light Givenchy dress. At first sight it felt too simple for the occasion, but it is impossible to not appreciate the proportion, the silhouette, the cuts and drapes of this beautiful design. Shanina styled her outfit with a dainty necklace, which matched the triangular shaped cut-outs of the dress, Tamara Mellon sandals with clear vinyl inserts and a fur Lanvin purse.
Jessica Hart was all about minimal designs last night, as she wore a three piece silk ensemble and Alexandre Birman 'Clarita' velvet sandals.
Worst Dressed
Taylor Hill in Thakoon, Constance Jablonski in J. Mendel, Adriana Lima in Marc Jacobs
It hurts to see such beautiful women wearing expensive looks that do nothing for their figure: let's get a closer look...
First we have Taylor Hill in what we could easily describe as Granny-chic or Hamish couture: this Thakoon's design definitely needed a bit more drama.
Costance Jablonski seems to have borrowed Taylor's stylist for the night: just another beautiful design...by aprons' standards.
Last but not least one of the most beautiful models in the indutry, Adriana Lima, trapped in a Marc Jacobs suit, that simply does nothing for her bombshell figure.
Written by: Stella & MsD
