The CFDA & Vogue Fashion Fund reunite to open up their applications for the class of 2024, also bringing back their design challenge.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue Fashion Fund was first formed after 9/11 to assist emerging designers. Since then 189 designers have benefitted from the program, with an overall total of $7.7 million going to a designer to help them maintain and grow their business. Out of those 189 designers, 41 percent of brands are either fully or partially women owned, and 40 percent are fully or partially minority owned.
Past finalists and winners include Billy Reid, Bode, Brock Collection, Christopher John Rogers, Jonathan Simkhai, Joseph Altuzarra, Melitta Baumeister, Proenza Schouler, Pyer Moss, Telfar, The Elder Statesman, and Sandy Liang.
This year’s program which launched on March 7th, the CFDA and Vogue Fashion Fund have reunited to its original competition format. With 10 finalists being considered for the top prize, the eventual winner is set to take home $300,000, which is meant to aid a designer’s business. The competition has also added two runners-up who will each receive a prize of $100,000 that will help support their ongoing business needs. The program will also offer a mentorship program, meant to aid designers and their businesses.
The competition is known for its extensive judging panel as well as sponsorships that are offered to winners. This year will include: Anna Wintour, Steven Colb, Mark Holgate, Nichole Phelps, Aurora James, Roopal Patel, Eva Chen, Rickie de Sole, Paloma Elessner, and finally Thom Browne. And sponsorship from Instagram, Nordstrom, and Saks.
The previous winners–who are also judges–have grown their businesses after winning the competition. Thom Browne recently showed off his Fall/Winter 2024 collection and Collina Strada has grown her sustainable fashion brand with the help of this competition.
“Little did we know that when we launched the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund that one day we would be celebrating its twentieth anniversary. That we can is due to the many wonderful designers who have taken part over the years—and we’re looking forward to welcoming those who will be our class of 2024,” said Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue.
Originally launching as a small fund for American designers wanting to grow their designs as well as their businesses. It has now grown into a considerable fashion fund dedicated to getting younger and smaller designers out into the fashion world.
The competition has also brought back the design challenge that it originally had in collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger. The design challenge was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has returned this year with Tommy Hilfiger back mentoring the 10 finalists.
In addition to the design challenge, 2019 Fashion Fund runner-up Danielle Frankel Hircsh is leading a committee of past finalists and winners to search for more fundraising opportunities for the program. The committee is made up of Beckett Fogg, Alejandra Alonso Rojas, and Emily Adams Bode Aujla.
A few criteria they require for all applicants, which are to have been in business for at least 2 years, be based in the United States, have no more than thirty full-time employees, and not exceed a revenue of 10 million dollars per year.
Winners will be announced in October 2024 at a celebratory dinner gala, hosted by CFDA and Vogue.
Homepage image of last year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists image courtesy of CFDA/Hunter Abrams.
