There were few surprises in the run-down of nominees with a number of past nominees and winners up for awards once again. The 2011 Womenswear Designer of the Year award will go to either Marc Jacobs (who will also receive this year’s Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award), Alexander Wang, or Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. Menswear Designer of the Year will be awarded to Michael Bastian, Patrik Ervell, or Simon Spurr and the Accessory Designer of the Year nominees are Reed Krakoff, Alexander Wang, and Proenza Schouler’s Jack McCopllough and Lazaro Hernandez.
The Swarovski Award for up-and-coming talent are Joseph Altuzarra, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, and Prabal Gurung in the womenswear category and Alexander Wang, Philip Lim, and Robert Geller in the menswear category. The accessories award will go to Alejandro Ingelmo, Eddie Borgo, Jason Wu, or Pamela Love.
While all of the nominated designers are extremely talented, it’s a bit disappointing to see the CFDA continually nominate the same designers, namely Alexander Wang, the Proenza Schouler boys, and Marc Jacobs.
As for this year’s honorary awards, they will go to Lady Gaga who will receive the Fashion Icon Award (past honorees have included Kate Moss and Nicole Kidman); Celine’s Phoebe Philo will be honored with the International Award; the Eugenia Sheppard Award will go to Hilary Alexander of London’s Daily Telegraph and Hal Rubenstein of InStyle will be honored with the Eleanor Lambert Award. This year’s CFDA Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award will be given to Arthur Elgort.
Awards will be handed out Monday, June 6 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall.
