One was dismayed to hear name after name of people we knew falling to this horrible and frightening disease as it started decimating our industry. Favorite hairstylists, make-up artists, designers, models – so many suffering or already lost even before we heard from the New York Times that there was a disease targeting young gay men. This was the first time I read the name “AIDS.” While I knew many that had the disease, I did not lose a terribly close friend. But I do remember –I can see him so clearly – Antonio, a charming Latin hairstylist who always used to do my hair up for special occasions. His artistry was magical. No one ever did or does the “up-do” as he did. Along with the horrible nature of this death, the loss of so much talent so quickly was shattering to our industry. That is the reason I fought so hard, as the president of CFDA at that time, to make sure that we as a group took action to acknowledge our loss and to raise money and awareness of what was happening, because early on there was a lot of fear by communities at large.

Pictured: Anna Wintour, Carolyne Roehm and Donna Karan at the first 7th On Sale to Benefit AIDS Research at the 69th Regiment Armory, November 29, 1990.