It’s been 20 years since the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund was established in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Since then, the Fund has helped the generations of designers including Proenza Schouler, Christopher John Rogers, Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada, Joseph Altuzarra, and Telfar, who have gone on to redefine American fashion. After returning to a competition format last year, the Fund is opening applications for its next edition today.
“Little did we know that when we launched the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund that one day we would be celebrating its twentieth anniversary,” Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue, said, “that we can is due to the many wonderful designers who have taken part over the years—and we’re looking forward to welcoming those who will be our class of 2024.”
This year, Tommy Hilfiger will be serving as the key mentor for the 10 finalists; while Danielle Frankel Hirsch, a runner-up in 2019 year, is spearheading a committee along with Bode’s Emily Adams Bode Aujla, Area CEO Beckett Fogg, and Alejandra Alonso Rojas, to explore funding opportunities for the program.
To be eligible to apply to this year’s Fund, designers must be in business for a minimum of two years and their total yearly revenue should not exceed 10 million dollars. Their primary business must be based in the United States, and they should have no more than thirty full-time employees.
The winners will be announced mid-October at a celebratory gala. They’ll be selected by the 2024 Selection Committee, which, in addition to Wintour and CFDA CEO Steven Kolb will include CFDA Chairman Thom Browne, Vogue’s Mark Holgate, Vogue Runway Director Nicole Phelps, Instagram’s Eva Chen, Rickie De Sole of Nordstrom, model Paloma Elsesser, Brother Vellies designer and Fifteen Percent Pledge founder Aurora James, and Saks Fifth Avenue’s Roopal Patel.
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