>> For its fifth anniversary, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund went with the obvious choice, naming Alexander Wang the recipient of $200,000 plus a year of mentoring last night. Vogue favorite Vena Cava and a less expected choice, milliner Albertus Swanepoel of Albertus Quartus, were both named runners-up and will receive $50,000 plus a business mentor. The night's keynote speaker, John Galliano, and his date Charlize Theron were seated next to Anna Wintour and presented the top honors to a teary-eyed Alexander Wang, who said his thank yous onstage as John Galliano rubbed his arm in comfort.
Top hats seemed to be the order of the evening — Julie Gilhart and John Galliano each sported one, the latter with a daisy chain, and Agyness Deyn had on a squished version — while carrot pants and one-shouldered dresses also received numerous nods. Plenty of models are already back in town from the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: Anne Vyalitsyna came with Costello Tagliapietra, Maryna Linchuk with Rag & Bone, Doutzen Kroes with Irene Neuwirth, and Arlenis Sosa Pena with Rogan. *image: source, 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).
But it's not all fun and games — the party doubled as part of the judgment process. Each of the ten nomineeswere 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
>> Yesterday, Vena Cava debuted a new shoe collaboration with Via Spiga during their Spring 2009 presentation — four styles to go along with the collection's Egyptomania theme, involving odd skins like monkfish and salmon. Perhaps most fun was the way Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai chose to present — in their quirky Vena Cava way. The models wore them, of course, but they also piled a whole bunch of pairs together and then labeled it like an art piece in a museum: "Vena Cava in collaboration with Via Spiga. Untitled, 2008. Monkfish, salmon skin, cowhide, metal findings."
>> INVITATION ONLY — The boys from Shipley & Halmos and the girls from Vena Cava have partnered together to do some serious partying — or so the invitation to their joint after party would have it seem. The two duos posed for a tongue-in-cheek photo series featured on the invite that includes pizza, beers being shotgunned, a few beer bongs. [Material Interest, The Pipeline]
>> Where there are opening ceremonies for the US Open, there is sure to be an Anna Wintour appearance. Last night was no disappointment — she joined Oscar and Annette de la Renta at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens (wearing one of her favorite Oscar dresses, natch) and even stood to clap when Roger Federer was announced.
Oscar wasn't the only designer taking a breather from Spring 2009 preparations: David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone, Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava, and Sari Gueron were all also in attendance. *image: source
>> Maylemay be closing, but another contemporary brand with a similar folky-feminine aesthetic is pushing its way into new categories as we speak.
Vena Cava is debuting a capsule footwear collection for Via Spiga during New York Fashion Week. The four shoe styles — the first ever for the label — go with Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai's Spring 2009 "Egyptomania" theme, involving a palette of muted colors, mixed materials like monkfish and salmon skin, and pyramid-shaped silver hardware.
The deal, which extends three seasons, involves Via Spiga sposoring Vena Cava's shows during that time, and marks the first designer collaboration for the footwear brand. The shoes are expected to retail between $300 and $850, and mark Vena Cava's continued extension into the accessories market. Up next, the designers foresee eyewear, more handbags, and umbrellas in the line's signature prints. *image: source
>> Along withthe annual International Best-Dressed List, the September 2008 Vanity Fair features a spread dubbed "America's New Fashion Guard," featuring up-and-coming designers, including a few designing duos like Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava.
Marchesa was also spotlighted, but as Chic Report so astutely pointed out, only one half of the brand's designing duo is pictured: Georgina Chapman, with no Keren Craig in sight.
Interesting, in light of the rumors back in May suggesting that Keren was being phased out as a co-designer; the photographic evidence here definitely lends credence to that possibility. Or maybe, as Chic Report suggested, Keren was just on her honeymoon when the picture was taken. *image: source
>> INSIDER WIRE —Every year, we catch wind of which fledgling labels are up for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund endowment, whether through film (hello, Seamless) or by simple announcement. This year was like any other, with the ten nominees of 2008 being released earlier this month; however, Vena Cava did something different. They've uploaded their application video, rife with the patent Vena Cava homegrown flavor, for the world to see. [COACD]
>> TheCFDA/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.
fashionologie is the musings of a twenty-something American girl who wishes she could have a Freaky Friday incident and switch bodies with Carine Roitfeld.
>> The CFDA has been busy lately, 
>> Before the winner is announced Nov. 17, a 
