Toasting the New Members At Nubeluz

MEMBER NEWS

Toasting the New Members At Nubeluz

April 25, 2023

Marc Karimzadeh & Nicky Campbell

01 / 29

2023 Interim Members Joseph Keefer, Andrew Kwon, Nicholas Raefski, Stephen Mikhail, Elizabeth Kuzyk, Josh Tafoya, Grace Ling, Patrick Christopher, Esha Soni, Charles Harbison, Jacques Agbobly, Tamara Davydova, Lizzie Grover Rad, and Andrea Mary Marshall.

“I want you all to know how special it is to be a member of the CFDA,” said Thom Browne, welcoming this year’s new CFDA designer additions. “I think a lot of us, over the years, take it for granted. You are all voted in by your peers because of your pure creativity. We didn’t take into account how big your business was or how famous or rich you were. It all came down to how purely creative you are, and that is what we are all aspiring to be—the creative voice in the city.”

Browne was speaking at Nubeluz at the Ritz-Carlton New York NoMad. The rooftop bar offers some striking new perspectives of lower Manhattan – the kind that can make one feel on top of the world, quite literally so. The elegant room was filled with many fashion names – both longtime and new members. The scene included CFDA newbies Elena Velez, Danielle Hirsch Frankel, Brandon Blackwood, Jamie Okuma, Raul Lopez, and Colm Dillane, as well all the new Interim members.

They were joined by Maria Cornejo, Dion Lee, Hillary Taymour, Stacey Bendet Eisner, Tory Burch, Victor Alfaro, Marcia Patmos, Mimi So, Christopher John Rogers, Prabal Gurung, Peter Som, John Truex, Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Beth Hutchens, Catherine Zadeh, Yigal Azrouel, Katrin Zimmerman, Judy Geib, Dao-Yi Chung, Kobi Halperin, Sal Cesarani, Steve Fabrikant, Selima Salaun, and more.

Many shared some words of wisdom for the new members.

“Build your own business model, direct to consumer,” said Zac Posen. “Don’t follow a schedule. Build a schedule that makes sense for you.”

“Enjoy. Seize the day. Work hard. Keep showing up,” said Mimi So.

“Come to events like this and meet everybody because one of the best parts is getting to meet people in your industry,” said Rosie Assoulin.

And, added Aurora James with a smile, “Be nice to Thom Browne.”

As for Browne, he noted the importance of American fashion talent celebrating each other and “what represent to the rest of the world: an incredible, very unique and diverse group of truly talented creative people.”

And on this special night, they all came together on top of the world.

PHOTOS BY MATTEO PRANDONI/BFA.COM

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