The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has announced the honorees for its 2026 American Image Awards, which mark fifty years of celebrating leadership, innovation, and partnership across the fashion industry. The gala will take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Gotham Hall in New York City, with the CFDA Foundation once again serving as the event’s charitable beneficiary.

Among this year’s recipients is CFDA member Zac Posen, who will be honored as Designer of the Year. Currently serving as Creative Director of Gap Inc. and Chief Creative Officer of Old Navy, Posen occupies a singular position at the intersection of American fashion, culture, and commerce. In his role at Gap Inc., Posen works closely with CEO Richard Dickson as a cultural curator and creative partner, while at Old Navy he leads design, merchandising, and marketing for the brand—now the largest within the Gap Inc. portfolio and the second-largest apparel brand in the United States.

Alina Cho is serving as the evening’s emcee. Cho is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and the 2023 recipient of the CFDA Media Award in honor of Eugenia Sheppard—the first Asian American to receive this prestigious distinction. A former national correspondent for CNN, she is widely respected for her incisive fashion journalism and cultural storytelling. Cho is the producer of the Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary Martha and the host of The Atelier with Alina Cho, a celebrated conversation series with fashion’s leading voices at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The 2026 American Image Awards will also honor Fabletics as Company of the Year; Avery Dennison as Global Innovator; Timberland as Fashion Maverick; AFIRM Group as Eco-Steward of the Year; Seth Campbell and Josue Solano of BBC International as co-recipients of the Trailblazer Award; and Ruben Toledo with the Icon Award.

“As we celebrate 50 years of the American Image Awards, and 250 years of America, we are excited to honor the legacy of our industry while recognizing the visionaries who are fashioning our future,” said Steve Lamar, President and CEO of AAFA.

Steven Kolb, CEO and President of CFDA, added, “The American Image Awards is a moment for our industry to pause, reflect, and celebrate the stories that have shaped fashion over the past year. It’s also a time to recognize how those stories weave together, lining the threads for continued innovation and advancement across every corner of our industry.”

Additional information about the honorees and the gala can be found at AmericanImageAwards.org.