Joseph Altuzarra wins CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

The Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue has

announced Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra as the recipient of its eighth annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award at a gala dinner held in New York on November 14.

Altuzarra follows in the footsteps of other fashion fund winner’s including Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, and Sophie Theallet, and wins a cash prize of $300k as well as being assigned with a business mentor. Runners up at the event were Shane Gabier and Chris Peters of Creatures of the Wind and Pamela Love of Pamela Love Jewelry, who won $100k and a business mentor.

This year the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund comes in partnership with J.Crew, and the judging panel included Vogue's Anna Wintour, the CFDA's Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb, the Proenza Schouler designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez and J Crew's Jenna Lyons.

“The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund continues to ensure that the next generation of American designers get the support that they need to grow and thrive,” said CFDA CEO Steven Kolb. “Over the last eight years, the Fund has helped more than 75 designers succeed in an ever more competitive and more global business.”

Since its inception in 2003, the program which was established to help emerging American design talent, has granted $2.3 million to 21 design companies.