Tuesday night, on the rooftop of the Soho Grand hotel, glasses were raised to mark the successful completion of the second CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative – and its winner Studio 189.

“The CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative is a very important program for the CFDA that focuses on sustainability,” said CFDA’s Steven Kolb, in his introductory remarks. “Sustainability is a core pillar of our work and this program is the foundation of that work”

Kolb added that longtime partnership with Lexus “has changed and evolved as the industry has changed and evolved.”

The five finalists of the nine-month program included Studio 189, Cienne, St. Roche, Whit, and M. Patmos.

The audience was in for a special surprise. Rachel Espersen of Lexus announced that based on the strength of the finalists, two brands would be awarded prizes this year. Cienne’s Nicole Heim and Chelsea Healy were commended for their outstanding progress throughout the program, and their brand was named runner-up and awarded $10,000 to continue to prioritize sustainability in their company.

Abrima Erwiah and Rosario Dawson of Studio 189 were honored with the top prize for their consistent enthusiasm, passion, and strong vision to redesign the supply chain and further connect consumers to artisans.  The design duo is receiving $80,000.

“This year the C/LF*I initiative was intended to provide the designers with unique industry experiences to work toward their goal of developing a more sustainable business,” Espersen said. “Even though tonight marks the completion, I know that they will continue to inspire others within their company and the industry as a whole in driving American fashion.”

Highlights of this year’s program included a visit to the Eileen Fisher factory, a course on sustainability at NYU’s Stern business school, and a trip to Copenhagen to attend the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, which included a one-on-one meeting with designer Stella McCartney.

Addressing CFDA and Lexus, Erwiah of Studio 189 said, “You have given us the language; you’ve helped us with the tools to figure out how to take it from where we are to another level.”

Erwiah and Dawson already have their plans on how they’re going to put their prize money and newfound knowledge to good use.

“We are designing our next collection around principles that we learned in this program,” Erwiah added. “We are designing for circularity in a real way.”