By BEATRICE DUPUY Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Fashion powerhouse couple A$AP Rocky and Rihanna have another fashion icon award to take home after Rocky was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America prize on Monday.
The fashion darlings posed on the CFDA carpet together dressed in designer looks from Chanel and Alaia at the American Museum of Natural History.
The starry guest list for the event, known as the Oscars of fashion, included supermodel Naomi Campbell, singer Lily Allen, and designers Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
Host of the night Teyana Taylor changed into several Thom Browne looks throughout the ceremony. Taylor brought levity to the event, leaving the audience laughing, including when she struggled to follow the teleprompter at one point.
At another point, Taylor joked about finding a look for jury duty, adding that she should ask A$AP Rocky, who knows how to wear a “nasty suit in a courtroom.”
Monday night’s event was a show of love and support for Rocky. The multi-hyphenate star had a tumultuous start to the year when he went on trial for felony assault and was later found not guilty. With the trial behind him, Rocky has gone on to become creative director for Ray-Ban, hold his second runway show for his creative agency AWGE and co-chair the Met Gala. On top of his fashion work, Rocky performed in two films released this year.
While presenting Rocky with his fashion icon award, chief content officer for Condé Nast Anna Wintour welcomed Rocky into the CFDA family.
“He’s joining us here tonight two months after the birth of his third child named Rocki,” Wintour said. “Seeing A$AP Rocky the devoted father makes it clear how much family means to him and now we are all welcoming him into ours.”
In his speech, Rocky thanked his team for their support, especially during the rougher moments of his year.
“Thank you for holding me down, especially when the going gets rough, and you go through trials and tribulations,” he said.
Rocky also took a moment to shout out his counterpart Rihanna, who was seated in the audience. Rihanna won the CFDA fashion icon award in 2014.
“And look, we did it, baby,” he said.
Fashion heavyweights and new emerging designers took home prestigious awards in their categories at the ceremony. CFDA chairman and designer Thom Browne kicked off the event, awarding couturier Ralph Rucci with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
With over 50 years in the business, Ralph Lauren won his second womenswear designer of the year award. The designer beat out Rachel Scott of Diotima, Tory Burch, Wes Gordon of Carolina Herrera and Daniella Kallmeyer of Kallmeyer.
Other winners of the night included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who won American accessory designer of the year for their luxury brand The Row, and Thom Browne, who took home the award for American menswear designer of the year for his playful tailoring style.
Emerging pop-star Addison Rae and former CFDA award-winning designer Christopher John Rogers named Ashlynn Park of the brand Ashlyn as the recipient of this year’s emerging designer of the year award. Park, who founded her label in 2020, is also a CFDA fashion fund finalist. The winner of the fund will be announced later this month.
Supermodel Amber Valletta stunned while presenting the positive change award to designer Donatella Versace, who was dressed in the iconic low-cut Versace jungle dress first worn by Valletta on the runway and later worn by Jennifer Lopez.
In a loving tribute to the Alaia fashion house, supermodel and longtime Alaia muse Naomi Campbell honored designer Pieter Mulier with the international designer of the year award. Following the passing of the brand’s eponymous courtier, Mulier took the helm of the house in 2021 as creative director.
Campbell, a close friend of the late-Azzedine Alaia, whom she affectionately referred to as “Papa,” said Peter did not try to replace Alaia but worked to honor him.
Hollywood was out in full force at the event. Actor Julianne Moore presented her friend and designer Cynthia Rowley with the founder’s award. Actor Jennifer Lawrence also honored her friend Sara Moonves, editor-in-chief of W magazine, with the media award, and filmmaker Ava DuVernay awarded Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God with the innovation award. For his influence and contribution to the fashion industry, Andre Walker received the Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute.
Despite the numerous surprises of the night, including a musical performance by singer Olivia Dean, one constant remains each year: chicken pot pie. With the colossal blue whale model hanging above them, attendees dined on the ceremony’s famous chicken pot pie topped with a puff pastry shaped into an animal.