CFDA Announced 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards Nominations

In addition, Michael Bastian, Thom Browne, and Tom Ford have been nominated for the Menswear Designer of the Year Award, while Tory Burch, Marc Jacobs, and Michael Kors have been nominated for the Accessory Designer of the Year Award.

Kate & Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte, Thakoon Panichgul, and Alexander Wang have been nominated for the Swarovski Award for Womenswear.

The nominees for the Swarovski Award for Menswear are Patrik Ervell, Tim Hamilton, and Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders. For the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design, the nominees are Philip Crangi, Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry, and Joy Gryson.

The Swarovski Award recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from Swarovski as well as exposure to the company's vast and innovative CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements.

The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Carolina Herrera. The Board of Directors' Special Tribute will be presented to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

The other special award honorees are:

Eugenia Sheppard Award - Candy Pratts Price
International Award - Dries Van Noten

"We're thrilled that this year's nominees and honorees reflect the strength and vivacity of the American fashion industry," said Steven Kolb, the executive director of the CFDA. "The 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards will be a celebration of these designers' unique creativity and accomplishments."

"Swarovski is delighted to underwrite the CFDA Fashion Awards for the seventh consecutive year," said Nadja Swarovski, vice president of Swarovski International Communications. "We are especially pleased to, again, host the announcement party for the Awards in celebration of the nominees, honorees and the CFDA Fashion Awards. We embrace our commitment to supporting talent and creativity in the fashion industry in general, and particularly, to nurturing young design talent with the Swarovski Awards."

The nominees and honorees were selected by the CFDA membership, press, retailers and stylists. The nominees, as well as recipients of the honorary awards, were confirmed yesterday at a meeting of the CFDA Board of Directors. The final votes will be tabulated by Ernst & Young LLP, the official accounting firm of the 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards.

The winners will be announced at the June 2 Awards gala. T-Mobile Sidekick will once again host the Viewing Party featuring a live simulcast of the Awards. The party will take place in the Library's Astor Hall and accommodate an additional 300 members of the fashion community.

The 2008 CFDA Fashion Awards will be produced by KCD and art directed by Laird + Partners.

About the CFDA
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of more than 320 of America's foremost fashion and accessory designers. CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate not-for-profit company, which was organized to raise funds for charity and industry activities. CFDA membership is by invitation only.

New candidates are recommended by two current CFDA members, and voted in by the Board of Directors annually. Founded in 1962, the CFDA's initial goals were, and still are, "to further the position of fashion design as a recognized branch of American art and culture, to advance its artistic and professional standards, to establish and maintain a code of ethics and practices of mutual benefit in professional, public, and trade relations, and to promote and improve public understanding and appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in quality and taste."

For more information on the CFDA Fashion Awards - www.cfda.com