Designers have muses and then they have cheerleaders. At Monday’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Sustainability Design Challenge presented by Zara, Kat Graham, one of the evening’s 10 “muses,” drew a clear distinction between the two.
“I prefer the term cheerleader,” offered the actress, on the arm of Christopher John Rogers and wearing a naturally-dyed linen suit embroidered with up-cycled crystals from the 2019 Fashion Fund finalist. “Entertainers sometimes don’t credit the designers and process enough. Having the opportunity to be cheerleader for Christopher John Rogers is the ultimate for me.”
Graham was just one of many familiar faces at The Well, the membership-based wellness club. Huma Abedin, Victor Glemaud, Candice Huffine, Georgina Chapman, Kenneth Cole, Nicky Rothschild, Aurora James, Derek Lam, Iskra Lawrence, Legacy Russell, Adam Selman, and Marcus Wainwright were also among those who turned out to salute the emerging talent (some raising a toast with Perrier-Jouët champagne).
As part of the challenge, each of the 10 finalists was asked to select a vintage piece that spoke to them, and team it with a new piece they designed with sustainable fabrics donated by Zara, which is committed to sustainability especially through its Join Life label.
The design results were shown on anointed muses –think Alejandra Alonso Rojas and Anna Baryshnikov, Victor Barragan and Princess Nokia, Raffaella Hanley and Scarlett Costello, Siying Qu and Haoran Li and Noah Carlos, Reese Cooper and Evan Mock, and Natalie Ratabesi and Hedvig Palm.
Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough of Abasi Rosborough selected jazz musician Mwenso to sport sport a suit made with Zara textiles and exuding a wabi-sabi vibe. The design duo teamed the look with a vintage ceremonial kimono in red and green, which “represent longevity and good fortune, which of course is what the Fashion Fund is about,” Rosborough explained.
Danielle Frankel’s Danielle Hirsch worked around a vintage Azzedine Alaïa bustier from the 1990s to create a wedding gown fit for the future. “I feel beautiful and comfortable,” said muse Kelsey Asbille, “and it was so incredible to see Danielle and her team create this dress.”
Collina Strada’s Hillary Taymour designed around a Christian Lacroix jumpsuit, naturally tie-dying the Zara materials and beading them with dead-stock Swarovski crystals. “I love tie-dye and like the fact that it’s sustainable,” muse Varsha Thapa noted. “It’s the future.”
