Vera Wang wins CFDA award

New York based designer Vera Wang was named Womenswear Designer of the Year during the 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards. The annual event was held in New York Public Library with a myriad of celebrities in attendance, like Anne Hathaway, Eva Mendes, Claire Danes, David Bowie and Iman, Heidi Klum, Mandy Moore, Linda Evangelista, Nicole Richie and Seal.

Other honorees included John Varvatos, who was named Menswear Designer of the Year, and Marc Jacobs who won the Accessory Designer of the Year award. Derek Lam won Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Womenswear. Meanwhile Alexandre Plokhlov for Cloak received that award for Emerging Talent Menswear, while Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong for Anthony Nak won the Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent Accessory Design.

Diane von Furstenberg received the accolade of Lifetime Achievement Award, while supermodel Kate Moss won the Award for Fashion Influence. Lanvin's creative director, Alber Elbaz, accepted the International Award. "Our evening celebrates an industry filled with diverse, uniquely American, talent. In both the emerging and established designer categories, the American fashion industry is a vital, competitive force in the global market," said Peter Arnold, Executive Director of the CFDA.

The evening was endorsed by Swarovski. The firm's Vice President of International Communications, Nadja Swarovski said: "We are delighted to once again continue our role as a mentor to the nominees and to be a part of this huge step in their careers. We hope to support and encourage the caliber of success that previous Swarovski Perrry Ellis Award winners such as Zac Posen and Proenza Schouler have achieved."