The CFDA's 2025

The One and Only

The 2025 CFDA Awards were held this week under the giant whale skeleton at the Museum of Natural History in NYC. Just hours before the city adorned a socialist with the title of Mr. Mayor, likely sending 6^th Avenue into a spiral yet to be determined.

CFDA board member (and the guy that sunk Brooks Brothers in 2006) Thom Brown, decided to award himself Menswear Designer of the Year. Not too obvious, I guess. This guy has been pulling the fleece over everyone’s eyes for decades.

But the real moment of the evening was when famed designer and Hall of Fame member, Ralph Lauren took home the American Womenswear Designer of the Year. Ralph has certainly seen better years health-wise, but his unwavering focus on how a woman dreams in the mirror is what meant the difference. After all, is there anyone who could even come close to Ralph? Never.

In a year when so many brands rush for “disruption”, chaos and hype, Ralph remained steadfast. His aesthetic is always the same with minor tweaks every season: timeless, elegantly American, aspirational yet accessible. It’s the kind of design that plays in Palm Beach, The Hamptons, Aspen, Montecito or Dallas and is proudly worn in Tokyo, Milan, Paris and Dubai. His win is like giving an award to style staying power in an age when trends collapse faster than snap chats. If anything, it reminds the industry that building a luxury ecosystem might just mean respecting the language of classic design and modern relevance. On top of all of this is the hard fact that Ralph has been at the helm of a multi-billion-dollar business for nearly 60 years. It is likely that ALL the designers in that room, combined, would not equal Ralph Lauren’s annual revenue. That says everything. There is no one like Mr. Lauren.

Other awards went to:

·       The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, given to Ralph Rucci. The only other “Ralph” in the business and an award named after a guy that smelled like grey flannel.

·       The Fashion Icon Award to A$AP Rocky. Yep, the rapper who dresses almost normal.

·       Accessories Designer of the Year- The Row. You know, the evolving brand created by the Full House Olsen Twins. Many say it’s the “it” brand, but we still don’t get “it”.

American Dreams By Ralph Lauren

The CFDA hypes this night all year and has somehow cajoled even small wannabees into paying the ridiculous annual dues for a chance to sit elbow to elbow with someone wearing J-Lo’s Jungle Print Versace from the year 2000. Anna Wintour’s ever-present shades were in full form throughout the night as ass kissers double pecked and snapped endless selfies for their Insta while sipping sparkles from whomever paid the $50K to sponsor the bubbly.

The End