CFDA honors Altuzarra, Raf Simons and a very conspicuous Rihanna

Validation - that’s what winners received at the 2014 CFDA Awards held on June 3 in New York. The ceremony confirmed the status of several category winners as rising stars. Having previously won the award for emerging talent, Joseph Altuzarra, the genius of the catwalk born to a Chinese-American mother and a French father, this was honored this time as Womenswear Designer of the Year.

Also having received an award in the emerging talent category last year, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, the duo behind the premium streetwear label Public School, came away with the Menswear Designer of the Year trophy, while sisters Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, pioneers of “homeless-chic”, came away with the Accessories Designer of the Year award.

Also noteworthy, Bethann Hardison, the tireless advocate for diversity on the catwalks, received an honorary award, as did the American Tom Ford for lifetime achievement and the Belgian designer Raf Simons, who took the International Designer Award for Dior.

The Swarovski awards for emerging talent ​​in the industry distinguished the brand Creatures of the Wind for womenswear, Tim Coppens for menswear, and Irene Neuwirth for accessories.

But the talk of the ceremony has clearly been the singer Rihanna, chosen on Monday by the New York elite as fashion icon of the year, in recognition of her taste, but even more importantly of her audacity. When she arrived on the red carpet at the CFDA Awards at Lincoln Center, New York’s official temple of fashion, the pop star did not disappoint, creating a sensation, hailed as a queen by the crowd and photographers who were inspired by her provocative outfit.

200,000 brilliant Swarovski crystals embedded in her lightweight sheer dress by Adam Selman, a faithful designer of the artist’s wardrobe, offered quite a sight, leaving very little to the imaginations of her admirers. The influential editor of Vogue, Anna Wintour, personally presented the award to the 26 year-old artist, originally from the island of Barbados.

Anaïs Lerévérend with AFP.