The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund will look a little different this year. The program, which turns 17 this year, has helped further the careers of emerging designers, including Christopher John Rogers, Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, and Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar of Brock Collection, all of whom took home the CVFF’s grand prize. To buoy the future of the industry, all ten finalists in 2021 will receive financial support and mentorship, not just the top three.
The change serves as an evolution of 2020’s A Common Thread initiative, which raised over $5 million, with over 160 grant recipients. In the past, the winner of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund has received $400,000, with $150,000 going to the two runners up. In a time when most designers can use a boost to their business, the winnings have been reformatted to benefit all finalists.
“The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund began in a time of crisis, and given where we are now it’s important that we continue to give back like never before,” said Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief and global editorial director of Vogue and global chief content officer for Condé Nast. “After last year’s A Common Thread initiative, we decided to rethink our 17-year fund to serve our designers in the best and strongest way possible.”
In addition to the new structure, the finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges including some new faces. Tom Ford, Chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Aurora James, founder of Brother Vellies and the 15% Pledge, and Sam Lobban, Senior Vice President, Designer & New Concepts at Nordstrom will join Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Mark Holgate, and Chioma Nnadi, CFDA CEO Steven Kolb, Instagram’s Director of Fashion Partnerships Eva Chen, Saks Fifth Avenue fashion director Roopal Patel, and model and activist Paloma Elsesser. Young designers, mark your calendars for March 10, when the applications open—all emerging designers, past CVFF finalists, and A Common Thread grant recipients are eligible.
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