by Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph and her stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald presented the final award; everyone sang along with Macy Gray performing her hit “I Try” on stage; Cynthia Erivo, Andra Day, Paris Hilton, Kiernan Shipka, Janelle Monáe, Lisa Rinna, Jessica Biel and more mixed with an international group of designers including Isabel Marant, Phillip Lim, LaQuan Smith, Gherardo Felloni, Laura Mulleavy, Enrico Chiarparin, Maria Cornejo, Raul Lopez, Sergio Hudson, Tyler Ellis, Batsheva Hay and Jackson Wiederhoeft.
The Fashion Trust US 2024 Awards held in Los Angeles on Tuesday night gave the East Coast design awards a run for their money, gathering a large crowd to give away half a million dollars at a private Beverly Hills estate with a gym the size of several houses.
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The evening began with cocktails on the spacious terrace. People dressed — they dressed — with Wiederhoeft in a sequin portrait gown and opera lace gloves; Binata Millinery designer Rowell Concepcion in a tuxedo hat; and stylist B Akerlund in full bloom.
Guests began the evening networking, checking out displays of the designers’ work, sipping tequila cocktails with floral garnishes and placing bets on the price of the fabulous residence as in this land of real estate porn.
Smith was joined at the bar by U Beauty’s Tina Chen Craig, and a pink Valentino-clad Eric Buterbaugh. “They asked me to sit on the show and review some of the designers…and meet some of the rising talent, it was really nice. I was happy to be a part of it,” Smith said.
“It’s so tough out there that it’s important to bring these young designers and show them support and love,” said NJ Goldston, managing partner of APL, one of several executives in the mix, including the chief executive officer of St. John Andy Lew, and Thirteen Lune CEO and co-founder Patrick Herning.
Everyone migrated past the pool and lemon grove to a tent in the backyard for the awards dinner, where Tory Burch, St. John, Roger Vivier, UTA and Tabayer tables, and the stylists Petra Flannery, Erin Walsh and Jason Bolden, hairdresser. Chris Appleton and others were in the seats.
The finalists in the United States were selected by founder Tania Fares, board members Laura Brown, Karla Welch, Tan France, Maha Dakhil and Anne Crawford, with support from sponsor Shop With Google in attendance. The winners were voted on by a larger group after demonstrations on Tuesday morning.
“As someone who has walked this challenging path, I understand the highs and lows of the fashion world. Sometimes the journey can feel lonely, stressful and filled with self-doubt, which is why it’s so important to have a supportive community,” said Fares while introducing the awards, which highlighted global diversity and handcrafts in the fashion for the second year, as well as. the importance of the Hollywood spotlight.
Hosted by Zooey Deschanel, Honors included awards for ready-to-wear, jewelry, accessories and recent graduate designers, with two special award categories including inclusiveness and sustainability.
Harbison Studio won the Ready-to-Wear Award, presented by Randolph, Bannerman and McDonald. Charles Harbison started his label in New York, closed it, moved to LA and relaunched in 2022.
“I’m there because I’m in LA,” he said. “Carpets turned out great for me, and then I get to have this cocktail evening business,” he said of the success of selling his “Southern girl meets ‘Alice in Wonderland'” dresses at Bergdorf’s. Goodman, Moda Operandi and soon Nordstrom, as well as Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chloe Bailey and Jodie Turner-Smith among others dressed for the red carpet.
“I stand here because of the women who raised me and used fashion to elevate their experience in the world. They were really blue collar, amazingly strong women. Their 9 to 5 and Monday to Friday were hard, but Saturday and Sunday were great and little Charlie saw that,” he said accepting the award.
“I didn’t know I was up for this award but I’m happy to win… always,” said Hay, receiving the Sustainability Award. “I love using vintage and sustainable fabrics,” she said, adding to the Fashion Trust experience, “I have to say, and I’ve been through it, this is a really beautiful program. Tania, everyone who was involved, it felt like a full-fledged hug, support all the way through … for what we’re going through, it’s kind of a big thing.”
The designer of the profitable feminine label founded in 2017 made headlines at New York Fashion Week in February for casting Molly Ringwald, Ione Skye and others in a cast of 40-year-old models on her runway, an experience she said, “a renewed my life. creativity.”
Presented by Marant, the Accessories Award sponsored by Builder Ai was presented to Esha Soni, who launched her brand of gorgeous, Made in India heirloom bags in organic forms with removable bangle bracelets after work for Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, Ralph Lauren and others for almost two decades.
Soni appeared on “The Real Housewives of New York” in August. “I had 3,000 people in the store the night the show aired,” she said during the cocktail hour, adding that she sold 15 bags worth $1,000. “I need to focus in the next six months on aligning myself with the right stores,” she continued, naming Just One Eye and Elyse Walker on her LA wish list.
Erivo presented the Jewelery Award to MoAnA Luu of ManLuu, who pays tribute to her heritage in the West of France with modern canine clothing handmade in gold and precious stones. “I didn’t prepare a speech because I was so happy to be here already,” said the designer, who is from Martinique. “I want to encourage the younger generation to understand that Creole jewelry is part of a larger global story.”
The Graduation Award sponsored by St. John’s went to Yamil Arbaje, whose designs address youth culture and the expression of Latin American masculinity.
Presented by Emma Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American and Aurora James, founder of Brother Vellies and the Fifteen Percent Pledge, the Inclusivity Award sponsored by Shop With Google was presented to Ashley Harris of Don’t Let Disco.
The collection of one-of-a-kind handmade beaded jewelery was founded in 2021 by the former Sotheby’s director, who has successfully hosted regular bead bar events in his Brooklyn studio “making the memories so you can wear them with you. always” with beads made by third-generation glassmakers, Polish artisans, breast cancer survivors and more.
“We’ve built an incredible community with our beading bars….It’s an honor to be here and in this room,” Harris said.
Each winner received a trophy designed by jewelry designer, Nigora Tokhtabayeva from Tabayer. Inspired by Tabayer’s signature Oera motif, the sculptural trophy cast in bronze and finished in 18-carat Fairmined gold, bends in on itself like a needle and thread.
Using donations from British heiress Jordana Reuben Yechiel, jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche and 24 other original patrons in the worlds of real estate, finance and art, Fares founded the Fashion Trust US in 2022, as aim to award prizes i. sizes determined by the designer’s requirement.
Fashion Trust US winners receive grants of between $100,000 and $200,000, depending on their business size and annual turnover, as well as mentorship. US citizens and non-citizens are eligible, but businesses must be established and registered in the US, employ American creators and workers and exist for at least two years and a maximum of seven years.
In its second year, the awards included accessories categories for the first time.
“[Charles Harbison] lives in LA and thinks it’s a really good thing for his business,” Fares said while hosting the awards on the West Coast. “There’s so much happening creatively with the stylists, artists, designers, so I feel like it’s a great place to host it.”
Launch Gallery: Paris Hilton, Jessica Biel, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and More Attend Fashion Trust Awards 2024
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