CFDA is proud to reveal this year’s recipients for CFDA’s Scholarship Programs. A 2018 CFDA Scholarship Award goes to Hannah Hyesoo Kim of Rhode Island School of Design and Yayi Chen of Parsons School of Design. This year’s Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship Award goes to Cameron Orland of Academy of Art University, and the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship Award to Fashion Institute of Technology’s Kritika Manchanda. As recipients of these merit-based honors, the CFDA awarded $100,000 in scholarships to help defray the cost of tuition.

In total, there were 15 finalists invited to present, and each scholarship program had its own selection committee.

The Scholarship Award finalists were Carson Walker of Savannah College of Art and Design, Christopher Cabalona and Florence Canonoy of Academy of Art University, Erin Baldwin of Savannah College of Art and Design, and Saumya Sharma of Fashion Institute of Technology. The Selection committee featured Brandon Maxwell, Narciso Rodriguez, Chris Leba, Nicole and Michael Colovos, and CFDA’s Sara Kozlowski.

The 2018 Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship Award Finalists were Danielle Ochoa and Mingjie Chen, both of Savannah College of Art and Design. The Selection Committee featured Alan Eckstein, Ramon Martin, Ryan Lobo, Whitney Pozgay, and CFDA’s Sara Kozlowski.

The 2018 Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship Award Finalists were Chelsea Grays and Changsheng Yu of Academy of Art University, Elizabeth Fisher of FIT, and Meg Calloway of Parsons School of Design. The Selection Committee featured Narciso Rodriguez, Nathan Jenden, Tom Hutton, Yeohlee Teng, and CFDA’s Sara Kozlowski.

Following their presentation, the finalists had studio tours with Chris Leba of R13 Denim in Brooklyn and with Nathan Jenden of Diane Von Furstenberg in the Meatpacking District.

“The DVF studio in the Meatpacking District is the dream office for every designer”, said Chen.  “This five-floor building is absolutely beyond an atelier.”

“R13’s studio inspired me immensely, from the vintage archive to the deconstructed denim jacket with different sleeve experimentations on the dress form,” said Orland.  “Everything was very hands on with Chris Leba explaining R13’s process from sketching to putting product out on the market.  He also gave us advice.  Something that really stuck with me was when he said, ’In order to survive in this industry you have to love what you do with all your heart.  It has to be your first love.’”