Clothing designer Vera Wang poses for pictures at the Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards in New York City yesterday. - REUTERS
NEW YORK (AP):
STARS OF stage, screen and music have worn Vera Wang's gowns to accept top awards for years, but Wang has finally picked up her first trophy as the year's top womens wear designer.
"I'm really incredibly honoured," Wang said. "Even at my age dreams in life can really come true."
The Council of Fashion Designers of America also selected John Varvatos as the best menswear designer.
Supermodel Kate Moss received an award for her fashion influence, following in the stiletto steps of previous winners Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole Kidman. She wore a nude-coloured strapless corset dress with a black lace overlay as she accepted her award from David Bowie.
"She dresses in a way that means something. What Kate wears, others wear. And it's really Kate choosing it, not a stylist," Peter Arnold, the CFDA's executive director, said before the award show began Monday night at a black-tie gala, at the New York Public Library.
SUPER-SLIM FIGURE
Moss is probably best known for her super-slim figure, but she's also credited with popularising the now ubiquitous Ugg Australia boots and the much coveted Balenciaga handbag. She's modelled for many of the top fashion houses, including Chanel and Burberry.
Vogue Editor, Diane von Furstenberg wore one of her signature wrap dresses as she was honoured for her three decades in the fashion business.
Lubov Azria, who shares design duties with her husband Max on the ready-to-wear line BCBG and their couture collection Max Azria Atelier, said her pleated sea green gown was a collaboration. "We ask what do we need to do to make this dress really special, and we go from there," she said.
Some celebrity fashion fans at the CFDA ceremony included Joan Allen, who wore a silver beaded slip dress by Michael Kors; Nicole Ritchie, who wore a blush beaded gown by Kors; and a pregnant Heidi Klum, who wore a clingy black jersey gown by Donna Karan.
Karan joined Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs to present the award for emerging talent to winner Derek Lam.
Alexandre Plokhov won the Swarovski-Perry Ellis Award for emerging talent in menswear and jewellers Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong took the trophy as up-and-coming accessory designers.
Marc Jacobs was named accessory designer of the year for the third time. "I don't think of accessories as being different from fashion. It's all one thing," he said.
CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION
Other winners at the 24th annual awards included Elle publication director Gilles Bensimon for "shaping" fashion visually and Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz, who was given the International Award for making an outstanding creative contribution to the world of fashion. Norma Kamali, who said she was fully to blame for the shoulder-pad craze of the late 1970s, received a special tribute from the CFDA's board of directors.
Winners are selected by more than 450 fashion designers, press, retailers and stylists.
