It’s been five years since the last CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Design Challenge. For its comeback on Wednesday – supported by the Tommy Hilfiger brand and timed to the 20th anniversary of the Fashion Fund – friends and alumni of the pioneering program turned out to salute the 10 current finalists, their muses, and the captivating creations they designed for the occasion, at the Warren Street Hotel.

Tommy Hilfiger himself serves as the lead mentor to the 10 finalists, and the task was to sartorially reimagine “stripes and stars” in novel, captivating ways.

“It’s the 20th anniversary of the Fashion Fund and we wanted to bring back some of the favorite moments from the past,” CFDA CEO Steven Kolb said. “Because of Tommy Hilfiger’s generosity, each designer got $10,000 and was given the assignment.”

The designers twisted the Americana theme and showed their looks on their selected muses: Taylor Thompson of 5000 with Janaya Future Khan, Connor McKnight with Sean Lyles, Grace Ling with Alex Consani and Aesha Scott, Jane Wade with Kylie Jefferson, Kate Barton with Hayes Warner, Dynasty and Soull Ogun of L’Enchanteur with Joey Bada$$, Spencer Phipps of Phipps with Josh Rivera, Presley Oldham with Louisa Jacobson, Sebastien and Marianne Amisial of Sebastien Ami with Marchánt Davis, and Jackson Wiederhoeft of Wiederhoeft with AnnaSophia Robb.

Guests – Hillary Taymour,  Maria Cornejo, Jonathan Cohen and Sarah Leff, Danielle Frankel Hirsch, Joseph Altuzarra, Jacques Agbobly, Victor Glemaud, Rachel Scott, Henry Zankov, Evan Mock, Eva Chen, Aurora James, Gigi Burris O’ Hara, Jennifer Fisher, Rickie De Sole, Kim Shui, Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell, Batsheva Hay, Phil Oh, and Virginia Smith among them – got to check out the looks.

“They’re the future,” Hilfiger said. “The design talent we saw today was full of excitement. They had great ideas. I saw some clothes that I have never seen before. The creative is there, and the passion and the drive are there.”

The future is here indeed.