Jonathan Simkhai, Ryan Roche, Nick Fouquet, Aurora James of Brother Vellies, and Greg Chait of The Elder Statesman were inducted into the Rising Talent program on Thursday night. The initiative, put forth by the CFDA and FWRD by Elyse Walker, aims to provide up and coming talent with mentorships for business development as well as the support of the online shopping destination FWRD by Elyse Walker.

Fellow designers, editors, and supporters attended the party at New York’s Spring Place. The atmosphere was upbeat and the camaraderie among the FWRD designers was clear. “It’s always incredible when we all join forces,” said Ryan Roche. “I just treasure being able to spend time with other designers.”

“I love the whole concept,” Greg Chait added.

Asked to describe Walker — whose entrepreneurial mindset and acute insight into customer needs has earned her a devoted list of celebrity clientele — Nick Fouquet replied that she is, “wild, intelligent, and savvy.”

Shop the designers’ exclusive collections for FWRD here.