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A Crystal Affair

What’s shiny, crystal, and Swarovski all over? We can answer this one. On Tuesday, May 21^st our 9 2013 CFDA Swarovski nominees congregated at the deftly curated boutique, Five Story, located in New York’s Upper East Side. Each nominee took to the task of creating objets d’Art using Swarovski crystals, with proceeds benefiting Free Arts NYC. And, as a testament to the creative spirit of these nominees—each took an object that would otherwise be considered ordinary, and made it extraordinary. There was certainly no shortage of conversation topics, as party-goers swirled the room in awe of objects ranging from Suno’s Swarovski-festooned cactus and knives from Cushnie et Ochs to Pamela Love’s crystal-emblazoned arrows.

And you might have to re-think your current lot of New Balance sneakers, iPad, and the vases in your home after viewing unique crystal creations from Todd Snyder, Irene Neuwirth, and Jennifer Meyer. The same sentiment goes for Public School’s embellished bike. We may have ended the evening hailing a taxi on Fifth Avenue, but our minds were gripping the handle bars of a crystal two-wheeler.

All photographs derived from Billy Farrell Agency.

CFDAdventures with Roopal Patel

Roopal Patel, founder of Roopal Patel Consulting, a creative consultancy specializing in brand development and positioning, retail strategy, trend forecasting and brand building in the digital space, has been a mentor and consultant for the {FASHION INCUBATOR} since the program’s inception in 2010. As a business mentor, Roopal works closely with the emerging designers on several aspects of their business, from product assortment and merchandising, to retail and distribution strategy.

Last week Roopal’s guidance was invaluable as our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers presented their collections to a bevy of Dallas’s top retailers and buyers.

Here, Roopal shares her experiences and Instagram photos, in a new travel series from the CFDA:

The best part of fashion in another city…is being able to visit and shop some of the local boutiques. I am obsessed with Forty Five Ten! The store owner, Brian Bolke, walked us through this jewel of a store. Forty Five Ten has one of the best assortments in America! I loved hearing him speak about his clients in Dallas. There is no doubt that the ladies of Dallas love fashion.

In my suitcase you can always find…my Celine Leopard print hair calf espadrilles. They are the perfect travel shoe for summer!

My favorite part of the Dallas Showcase experience was… having so much time with the designers beforehand. We spent a good 8 weeks prepping for the showcase. My favorite moment was being there while they presented their collection to 50 of Dallas’s top style influencers. I was so proud of them! The showcase was amazing!

While in Dallas, I made sure to…make my way through the local fares that Dallas in known for. Some of my favorites are Sissy’s and Mi Cocina.

If someone I knew was visiting Dallas, I would tell them to…check out the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Contemporary.

Fashion Icon Linda Evangelista Visits the {FASHION INCUBATOR}

As part of the {FASHION INCUBATOR} program, our designers are exposed to everything from professional development to workshops and seminars. But one special component of the program is a series titled— “An Evening With…” —dedicated to spending time with industry leaders and icons who have cultivated their own, unique models for success. Most recently, the {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers had the opportunity to meet the illustrious model and fashion icon, Linda Evangelista. The designers not only had a chance to introduce Ms. Evangelista to their brands and show her their collections, but they also had the opportunity to hear stories of her career and her experiences with the world’s most iconic designers.

Find out more about the talented designers who comprise our {FASHION INCUBATOR} program here.

2012 CFDA Award Winners and Honorees

In honor of the 2013 CFDA Fashion Awards on June 3rd, we are taking a stroll down Lincoln Center lane for a look at who took home Trova in 2012.

Visiting Forty Five Ten

For a designer, traveling to another city provides a glimpse into a completely different retail market, which allows him or her to see a different type of consumer and lifestyle. So it was a special opportunity when the CFDA, in partnership with W Hotels, sent our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers to visit Dallas, which is home to one of the nation’s largest retail markets. While in Dallas to present their Fall 2013 collections to top Dallas retailers, local press and key social influencers, Jonathan Simkhai, Reece Solomon and Max Stein of Reece Hudson, Arielle Shapiro of Ari Dein, and Alan Eckstein and Timo Weiland of Timo Weiland, had the chance to become immersed firsthand in the Dallas market.

First stop into Dallas’s booming fashion community? A visit to the arbiter of Dallas fashion, the boutique Forty Five Ten. While there, Forty Five Ten owner Brian Bolke, shared insights into the Dallas customer’s buying habits and lifestyle; he regaled anecdotes about pieces his customers have purchased and loved and also provided the designers with ideas about which types of pieces successfully sell in a Dallas boutique. It would have been easy to spend an entire day in the European-infused boutique with its artful array of products. We saw some familiar names there as well, such as jewels by the likes of Eddie Borgo and House of Waris, and the newest pieces by Altuzarra, The Row, and Proenza Schouler. It looks like we’ll just have to make our way back sometime soon.

The CFDA’s {FASHION INCUBATOR} Designers in Dallas

As part of the CFDA’s partnership with the W Hotels, our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers have the opportunity to showcase their collections in key retail cities throughout the United States. In December, one group of designers traveled down south to immerse themselves in the Atlanta market. Now, four of our talented designers will be showing their Fall 2013 collections in Dallas, with the guidance of CFDA business mentor and consultant, Roopal Patel.

On Monday, May 13, the CFDA landed in sunny Dallas, Texas at the W Hotel- Victory with some of our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers: Arielle Shapiro of Ari Dein, Reece Solomon and Max Stein of Reece Hudson, Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein of Timo Weiland, and Jonathan Simkhai. After arriving at the sublime luxury hotel in Victory Park, our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers hit the ground running. The designers met a slew of svelte models who showed if they could walk the walk down the long runway on the W Hotel’s premiere event space, Altitude. After thoughtful deliberation our {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers casted and fit models in the same afternoon, while squeezing in time to merchandise their collections.

More to come as our designers prep for the unveiling of their collections on Wednesday, May 14. Stay tuned for live tweets from @CFDA

Eileen Fisher’s Holistic Vision

Design. Connect. Imagine. CFDA Member and designer Eileen Fisher’s environmental vision focuses on these core values. Design, because it’s the key stage for designing out negative impacts and designing in positive change. Connect, because Eileen Fisher’s environmental efforts rely on engaging people—customers, suppliers, and communities. Imagine, because creative thinking turns business as usual into business as a movement. Below Eileen Fisher explains how she integrates these components into her eco-friendly design process.

Design – Sustainability starts with design. When we select fabrics and yarns, we are making choices about better farming practices, greener dyes, and innovative production, building an eco-collection that accounts for more than 25% of our line. We work to create products designed to last and easy to care for. Our goal is simple: Design out negative impacts right from the start. In spring 2012, we transformed the way our core China silks are dyed, reducing chemical usage by 45% and water usage by 25%. This one strategic project resulted in bluesign® certification for 10% of our product. We are now exploring bluesign® certification for other fibers in our supply chain.

Connect – Our connection to our customers is critical to moving our sustainability initiatives forward. We invite them to learn more about our efforts through our Ampersand campaign and to take their own action through a recycling program, GREEN EILEEN. A project of the nonprofit Eileen Fisher Community Foundation, Green Eileen resells donated clothing to support causes for women and girls. Since 2009, we have collected almost 100,000 Eileen Fisher garments and donated more than $1.5 million to help enhance the lives of women and girls in local and global communities. In addition to extending the life of our garments, Green Eileen is dedicated to up-cycling—diverting items unsuitable for resale from landfills by turning them into rugs, blankets, scarves and other useful objects.

Imagine – I like to talk about “business as a movement” because I deeply believe a business, as a community of people, can make a positive difference. As a values-based business, we feel it’s important to leverage our influence and help to align economic development with environmental protection and social responsibility. We have joined two public policy groups dedicated to shaping legislation and regulations:

(1) Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) which aims to shape legislation and regulations on a national and i international level. Its core principles include stimulating production of renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency and clean energy jobs, preserving forests, and limiting new coal-fired power plants to those that capture and store carbon emissions.
(2) American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), which we joined in 2012, echoes our belief that business can play a positive role in our society. Through education and advocacy, it seeks to influence public policy—and public opinion. Its campaigns focus on such topics as EPA oversight of greenhouse gases, sustainable agriculture, toxic chemicals, regulatory reform and more.

Eileen Fisher’s environmental vision is taking root in various ways—developing eco products, reducing air shipments, supporting renewable energy, and engaging in public policy issues. One project at a time, even one conversation, is an action creating impact. To learn more, visit eileenfisher.com.

CFDAdventures with Steven Kolb

Our CFDA CEO, Steven Kolb, has returned from a 4-day sojourn to Dubai where he took part in the inaugural event: Fashion Forward, a platform to showcase emerging designers in the Middle East. Participants had the chance to attend runway shows, expert panel discussions, and talks by industry insiders (ahem, including a presentation given by Mr. Kolb, himself).

Here Steven shares his experiences and photos, in a new travel series from the CFDA.

My favorite part of the Fashion Forward experience was…getting to spend time with CFDA member Reem Acra . She and I had the most amazing dinner La Petite Maison.

The best part about fashion in another country is…the cultural influences and local talent.

While in Dubai I made sure to…check out Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

In my suitcase you can always find…Isaora sweatpants for hanging out in the hotel room.

Dubai’s best-kept secret is…the beautiful Persian Gulf Coast beaches.

When in Dubai, you must always…go to the mall. You can actually ski in the Mall of the Emirates.

Karen Harvey’s Storytelling Workshop

Last week the CFDA’s {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers had the pleasure of attending a two-day workshop led by top luxury brand consultant, Karen Harvey, where she regaled ways to build and tell robust stories and articulate a distinct vision for designers’ brands. Daniel Vosovic, a member of the {FASHION INCUBATOR} program said “Being able to pinpoint EXACTLY what I needed to work on in my storytelling and ways to focus on my audience and how they differ from one another was the most valuable part of the experience.”

Karen Harvey was mentioned in today’s Business of Fashion as one of Fashion’s Top 5 Global Talent Spotters.

Photographs by: Dario Calmese

The Business Leaders of Tomorrow Part II

Today, May 3^rd marks the last day of the CFDA/NYU Stern School of Business Workshop. Established two years ago, MBA Students from Stern are paired with both CFDA Members and {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers for ten weeks to work on a business development project. The CFDA is incredibly proud of the 10 MBA candidates who worked closely with designers on projects ranging from e-commerce strategies, business plans, and consumer and market analysis. Without further ado, please meet the second half of the incredible ladies who will undoubtedly be the business leaders of tomorrow.

Name: Kristin Cardwell

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Designers you’re working with: Tess Giberson & John Bartlett

Background in 3 sentences or less

Prior to NYU Stern, I was a Global Brand Manager for L’Oreal on the Maybelline brand, where I managed product development for million dollar franchises in both Western and Asian markets. I am currently specializing in strategy and digital marketing at Stern.

What did you find most helpful about the CFDA/Stern Workshop?

The CFDA/ Stern Workshop was a great overview of the business of fashion for someone who is unfamiliar with the jargon and industry lifecycle.

One day I hope to…work for myself by combining creative commerce with a social mission.

Name: Sarah Smith

Hometown: Wilmington, Delaware

Designers you’re working with: Melissa Joy Manning, Jonathan Simkhai

Background in 3 sentences or less

After graduating from Georgetown in 2006, I moved to New York to begin a career in magazine editing and writing, starting at Vanity Fair then spending a few years at the luxury lifestyle magazine Departures. I always had the most fun writing style articles, so I decided to explore a career in fashion by taking classes at FIT and working at 3.1 Phillip Lim. The experience confirmed for me that I wanted to switch from editorial to the business side of fashion, which motivated me to pursue my MBA at NYU Stern, specializing in Luxury Marketing, and accept a summer internship position at Chanel.

What did you find most helpful about the CFDA/Stern Workshop?

The generosity of our advisors has gone above and beyond anything I ever expected, and the opportunity to get advice from such legendary and experienced industry experts has been an invaluable educational experience. I also loved when my project partner and I disclosed research findings to our designers and saw them use the information to make empowered business decisions.

One day I hope to…become CEO/COO to a young, talented designer and help him or her grow the business and become inducted into the CFDA. I then hope to launch my own fashion startup involving the lending of high-fashion clothes.

Name: Erin Aarsvold

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Designers you’re working with: Rogan/Loomstate and Daniel Vosovic

Background in 3 sentences or less

While an undergraduate at UCLA I founded a business that provided spa services, beauty consulting, and retail products to a clientele throughout Southern California. After an expansion of service offerings into hospitality-related marketing events, I transitioned into an operations role in an Asset Management firm in which my first major initiative was to develop a company-wide hospitality program. I hope to enjoy a career in the beauty or hospitality industry after I complete my studies at the NYU Stern School of Business.

What did you find most helpful about the CFDA/Stern Workshop?

The client interaction was by far the most enjoyable part of the CFDA/Stern Workshop. Both of our designers were extremely passionate about their brands and they were very open and accessible as we worked together to make their businesses better.

One day I hope to…be a successful and passionate business leader that is a mentor to young women, who one day aspire to be leaders themselves.

Name: Katey Hassan

Hometown: Newburgh, NY

Designers you’re working with: Melissa Joy Manning, Jonathan Simkhai

Background in 3 sentences or less

Prior to business school, I co-founded a beauty R&D startup. I also completed a master’s degree in Sociology- my research was in consumer behavior in the cosmetics and lingerie industries, specifically how people decide to purchase items that most others will never see them wear.

What did you enjoy most or find most helpful about the CFDA/Stern Workshop?

It has been empowering to know that the designers will be using our insights right away to help them grow their businesses and make tough decisions. It’s like watching a rocket ship take off!

One day I hope to…I have a few ideas up my sleeve. Stay tuned!

Name: Carey Wikstrom

Hometown: Bakersfield, CA

Designers you’re working with: Loeffler Randall and WHIT. Previously, I worked with Tess Giberson.

Background in 3 sentences or less:

My career started at UBS Wealth Management, Inc. in Los Angeles where I had the privilege of working with many successful entrepreneurs and business owners. Inspired by their stories, I left to pursue my MBA at NYU Stern with a focus in retail and business strategy. Last summer I worked at the Boston Consulting Group for a National off-price retailer client analyzing consumer demographics and customer insights in existing and expansion markets as part of a larger growth strategy project. Having enjoyed this experience and my MBA consulting projects for the CFDA and brands such as L’Oreal and Kiehl’s, I am excited to return to BCG after graduation and continue my retail consulting career.

What did you enjoy most or find most helpful about the CFDA/Stern Workshop?

I first and foremost was absolutely starstruck working so closely with truly genius and amazingly talented designers. From a career perspective, the CFDA partnership solidified my career path decision after graduation

One day I hope to…do something within this industry. Coming to Stern, management consulting, retail, and fashion were potential industries I was exploring, but after working with the CFDA I am absolutely confident that I want to focus on this industry going forward. I am very thankful for the clarity this program has given me.

Photographs by: Dario Calmese