Stan Herman has been a longtime member of the CFDA and served as its president from 1991 to 2006 – a record tenure.

During this time in the fashion industry and as a member of the CFDA, he has witnessed the organization’s immense growth – from Eleanor Lambert creating it to the various accomplishments of each president, who typically served the CFDA for two to four years.

In the 60 years of the CFDA – which we’re celebrating this year – the organization has had 11 presidents: Sydney Wragge, Norman Norell, Oscar de la Renta, Herbert Kasper, Bill Blass, Mary McFadden, Perry Ellis, Carolyne Roehm, Stan Herman, Diane von Furstenberg, and, now, Tom Ford.

As we celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the CFDA this year, we asked Stan to muse on some of the Presidents who preceded him as CFDA presidents. For a special tribute to the female forces that lead the CFDA, check back in during Women’s History Month in March.

Sydney Wragge, CFDA President 1963-1965

I knew very little about him when I met, but Sydney was a man of presence. He had a certain look about him. I thought of him as less of a designer and more of a manufacturer, and his designer, Adri, was a great CFDA member. The clothes were great. He mastered clean sportswear in an elevated and an expensive way, which probably explains how he became the first president of the CFDA. Nobody got into the CFDA if they did mass clothes.

Norman Norell, CFDA President 1965-1973

I first met Norman when I was at Parsons and he was there. He was almost like a god. We hadn’t seen anyone like him in American fashion before. Everyone and everything circled around him. I am sure he was one of the reasons the CFDA was a force from the beginning. He came with a great reputation and the designers respected him. Norell’s presidency set the tone for designers like Oscar de la Renta to take over.

Oscar de la Renta, CFDA President 1973-1976, 1987-1989

Oscar was probably the most important president of the CFDA. He was to the manor born, so to speak. He took on the job, and he kept it very close to his belt. During the time that he was president, Eleanor ran the Council and he was a titular head. Oscar was the perfect choice. He was handsome, articulate, and designed luxurious dresses. He was married at the time to Françoise de Langlade, the editor of Vogue Paris. He didn’t yet have Norman’s star status but it came with time.

Oscar’s run at the CFDA was the beginning of the CFDA catering to the Ladies Who Lunch, and the CFDA was their restaurant.

Oscar assumed the role a second time because nobody else wanted to do it. It was a moment in time, where you had the triumvirate of design – Blass, Norell, and de la Renta – and, coming behind them, Donald Brooks and Geoffrey Beene. They were the phalanx of American fashion. They shifted the essence and perspective and ultimately paved the way for Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren.

Herbert Kasper, CFDA President 1977- 1979

Herbert was enigmatic and when he was president, few people even knew who he was. He served in that role for only a year I remember most of our meetings were at the showroom of Mollie Parnis. She had a designer label, and Herbert was very close to her. He was a good friend of mine, and a really a good guy.

Bill Blass, 1980-1981

Bill is the CFDA too. When people thought of Bill Blass, they immediately thought of the CFDA. He was a beacon of our organization.

Bill represented the ideal elevated clothing designer who was dressing the women becoming famous for their style, the Ladies Who Lunch. He was first designer to support the New York Public Library, and he gave essence and presence to the CFDA. He and Oscar de la Renta sum up so much about the CFDA.

Perry Ellis, CFDA President, 1984-1986

Perry looked to the CFDA and saw its potential. He looked at the organization and cleaned house. He saw the way that Eleanor ran the CFDA and set out to change it. He said, “Why don’t we have an executive director? Why does everything have to go through Eleanor?

If I had to sum up Perry’s presidency, he looked at the CFDA in a modern way and a modern organization rather than just a club. Perry put me on the board, and it was because of Perry that I became president. Had he lived longer, he would have been a major force for American fashion.