>> Although designer couple — and recent editorial favorite — Christina and Swaim Hutson were recently in the running for the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, all the attention couldn't save their menswear-based label, Obedient Sons & Daughters.  

Their majority investor wasn't able to provide enough capital to support the necessary growth, so the Hutsons decided to shutter the brand and go a different route.  “For the last year, we have continuously fought to maintain daily operations and have exhausted all alternatives and at this point we need to move on,” said Swaim Hutson.   

Instead, they are currently designing an independently-owned venture for Fall 2009 — not the only new endeavor for the couple, who are expecting their second child — with a show during New York Fashion Week.  The name will be revealed when invitations go out. “This is a huge risk for us, but we feel that it takes us in the right direction,” said Christina. “We are extremely passionate about what we do and truly look forward to our new focus.”  The new label will feature men's and womenswear like Obedient Sons & Daughters, but is reportedly not a revision of their former collection.
*image: source

>> The CFDA has been busy lately, discussing the possibility of sponsoring sample sales for designers who don't have enough resources to do it on their own, commissioning books — including a fashion-related cookbook, and announcing an upcoming three-year partnership with Mattel.  But Monday night, we'll learn which of the 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund nominees will take home top honors, $200,000, and business advice, who will score one of the two runners-up titles and the $50,000 that comes with them, and who will try again next year.

The first award was given in 2004, with top honors going to Proenza Schouler; since then, Trovata (2005), Doo.Ri (2006), and Rogan (2007) have taken the top prize, and the likes of 3.1 Phillip Lim, Philip Crangi, Rodarte, Thakoon, Derek Lam, and Thom Browne have all been runners-up.  Without doubt, the winner generally has name recognition — and is in favor at Vogue — but tends to not be the biggest name in the group (i.e. Rogan over Phillip Lim last year).

So who will take all? »

>> Before the winner is announced Nov. 17, a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund nomination will get you a piece of the twenty-page spread with Caroline Trentini in the November 2008 issue of Vogue, plus an invite to last night's celebratory cocktail party, hosted by Anna Wintour, of course.

But it's not all fun and games — the party doubled as part of the judgment process.  Each of the ten nominees were assigned a different species of butterfly, a L'Oreal eye-color palette, and an evocative word as inspiration for the custom creation they made for their assigned dates — sounds a little Project Runway, no?  Or maybe that's where Project Runway got the idea . . .

Alexander Wang brought Zoe Kravitz in a "barely-there dress," the Vena Cava girls dressed Raquel Zimmermann in a gown, Jason Wu paired Leighton Meester with a ladylike frock, Richard Chai was on a double date with Coco Rocha and Jamie Johnson, Swaim and Christina Hutson created an Obedient Daughters look for Chiara Clemente, and Alejandro Ingelmo put Lake Bell in some serious gladiators.

The designers presented their dates and creations to the judges, and then enjoyed the party.  Alejandro Ingelmo was even caught taking down Coco Rocha's number . . .
*image: source

>> The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has determined its ten finalists for 2008. 

Last year's winner, Rogan Gregory, was announced in November and received a monetary award of $200,000, with two runners-up reiving $50,000 each.  For the past couple of years, the nominees have worked with Gap as part of a limited Gap Design Edition collaboration to gain more exposure, and many have also gone on to work with Target in limited-edition runs. 

This year's nominees are:

Richard Chai

Jason Wu

Alexander Wang

Irene Neuwirth

Albertus Q. Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus

Alejandro Ingelmo

Juan Carlos Obando

Swaim and Christina Hutson of Obedient Sons & Daughters

John Patrick of Organic

Sophie Mayock and Lisa Buhai of Vena Cava
*image: source