Celebrating with CFDA/Vogue and the 2021 Emerging Designer Finalists

Established in 2003, in response to the effects of 9/11 on small businesses, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund was created by Anna Wintour to help emerging American design talent find continued success in the business of fashion. Some of today's most recognized designers have participated in the program and gone on to provide mentorship to the next generation of talent.  

Since 2006, we have been an underwriter of this program and a continued champion of emerging designers. This year, CFDA and Vogue have partnered with Nordstrom to provide the 2021 CVFF finalists with a showcase to highlight their designs and gain retail exposure at the Nordstrom New York City Flagship. 

This year, Sam Lobban, SVP of Designer and New Concepts sat on the selection committee. In an interview with WWD, he said "One of the things we're talking through with the CFDA is a conversation around more permanent or longer-term partnerships with different designers. What can we do to offer our platform quite quickly and give them a space whereby they can connect to an audience so the customers can find out a bit more about the brands and who they are as designers." 

Sam also noted that in our Fall Campaign, LaQuan Smith RTW was photographed and featured on our SoHo Billboard.  

On Wednesday, October 13, we hosted a cocktail event with Vogue and the CFDA to celebrate the finalists at the NYC Flagship. The event at WOLF included appearances from Dominic Augustin, Model; Hannah Bronfman, Entrepreneur, DJ; Eva Chen, Instagram; Rosario Dawson, Actress; Koto Eberhardt, Actor (X-Men); Alioune Fall, Model; Kathryn Gallagher, Actor (You); Candice Huffine, Model; Steven Kolb, CEO, CFDA; Alice Kremelberg, Actress (Orange is the New Black); Zion Moreno, Actress (Gossip Girl Revival); Pete Nordstrom, President and Chief Brand Officer, Nordstrom; Mason Alexander Park, Actor (Cowboy Bebop); Tiler Peck, Principal Dancer with the New York City Ballet; Shereen Pimentel, Actress (West Side Story); Chrissy Rutherford, Influencer; Savannah Smith, Actress (Gossip Girl Revival); Amar'e Stoudemire, Former NBA Player; P.K. Subban, NHL, New Jersey Devils; Varsha Thapa, Model; Lexi Underwood, Actress and Singer (Little Fires Everywhere); Ana Villafañe, Actress (On Your Feet!); Tami Williams, Model; Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue; Lindsey Wixon, Model; and Kate Young, Stylist 

Notable designer attendees included: Batsheva Hay, Batsheva*; Stacey Bendet, Alice + Olivia; Maria Cornejo, Zero + Maria Cornejo; Mike Eckhaus, Eckhaus Latta*; Victor Gelmaud; Kenneth Nicholson*; Christian Siriano; LaQuan Smith*; Abrima Erwiah, Studio 189*; Hillary Taymour, Collina Strada; Edvin Thompson, Theophilio*; and Willy Chavarria* 

The in-store installation is up through November 15 on the 2rd Floor of Nordstrom NYC.