NEW YORK — The CFDA Fashion Awards were full of surprises.
Those surprises included Rihanna popping up and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen appearing Monday night at the American Museum of Natural History.
Where the first Monday in May is designated for the star-studded Met Gala, this year’s first Monday in November was dedicated to the Oscars of fashion, presented by Amazon. The Council of Fashion Designers of America’s annual event, highlighting the best of American fashion, returned Nov. 3 for the third time under the massive, life-size blue whale at the museum.
Rihanna, 37, was on hand to support her partner and the night’s fashion icon recipient A$AP Rocky, making her red carpet debut less than two months after giving birth to their third child, aptly named Rocki.
Vogue’s Anna Wintour playfully poked fun at Rocky’s daughter being his namesake in her introduction to the rapper, 37.
“Telling Rocky that he’s a fashion icon is a bit like telling Carlos Alcaraz that he has a good backhand – there is no indication that he’s a man who needs to be told,” said Wintour to laughs from the room. “When a few years ago, a member of the Vogue team asked who his greatest beauty influence was, Rocky’s answer was himself. When earlier this year he so brilliantly co-chaired the Met exhibition, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,’ he cited himself as the inspiration for the exhibition. The CFDA is just making it official. So yes, Rocky is a guy to go to when you need a confidence boost.”
“He’s joining us here tonight, not two months after the birth of his third child, named Rocki,” she continued. “Yes, he’s a muse for that, too.”
Rihanna and Rocky walked the white carpet together, with Rih rocking an Alaïa outfit complete with a black trench coat and white pleated slacks. Rocky donned a Chanel suit over a yellow sweater and cap-toe dress shoes.
“On a serious note, I just want to say it’s a real honor to be the recipient of this award. Yes, I agree: I am an icon. But I’m nothing without my peers and a lot of y’all in the room,” Rocky said in his acceptance speech.
“Baby girl, I love you,” he said to Rihanna, who took home the same honor in 2014. “You won this so long ago. Remember, I told you, ‘You inspired me. Imma win that … one day, every award.’ Remember that …? We did it, baby.”
The guest list was starry and wide-ranging: Kimora Lee Simmons, Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Ciara, Addison Rae, Saweetie, Reneé Rapp, Mandy Moore, Stefon Diggs, Tyriq Withers, Britt Lower and Angel Reese, to name a few.
There was Lily Allen baring all in a revenge dress (post-David Harbour split); “Love Island USA” star Olandria Carthen wearing a curve-hugging brown strapless dress; and Amber Valletta wearing the Versace dress. And rising songstress Olivia Dean delivered a sweet and snappy rendition of her song “So Easy (To Fall in Love).”
A brigade of pot pie-wielding waiters wove their way through the fashion crowd as top designers mingled with singers, athletes sat beside pattern makers, and milliners were amongst actors and reality stars.
Teyana Taylor helmed the evening as host, serving up an assortment of Thom Browne ensembles as she revealed that, on top of releasing new music, starring in drama series “All’s Fair” and Paul Thomas Anderson film “One Battle After Another,” she’s currently enrolled in culinary school − all while raising two kids.
She also scouted the room for an ensemble for an important occasion: jury duty. “I actually might need to make a call to my Harlem brother A$AP Rocky because I know he knows things or two about a nasty suit in the courtroom,” Taylor said.
Olsen twins deliver rare speech accepting CFDA Award for The Row
The Olsen twins won the accessory designer of the year award, delivering a rare public speech. The 39-year-old sisters have won the award multiple times in recent years for their luxury brand, The Row.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were on hand to accept the honor, chosen by the CFDA’s voting members. “To our amazing customers who have given us the opportunity to do what we love, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you,” Ashley Olsen said, delivering the full speech as sister Mary-Kate stood by her side.
Their names also came up during a speech from Sara Moonves, the top W Magazine editor and daughter of ex-CBS CEO Les Moonves, who won the media award (presented to her by friend and actress Jennifer Lawrence).
Moonves called the sisters “my best friends,” adding, “Little known fact, I was on four episodes of ‘Full House,’ so my career could have gone in a really different direction. It’s so rare to be able to say this about anyone, but I can say that the three of us have been friends for our entire lives.”
Amber Valletta honors Donatella Versace in JLo Versace dress
Ariana DeBose and Valletta introduced Donatella Versace as she earned the Positive Change Award.
Valetta donned the iconic deep neckline tropical print gown that Jennifer Lopez helped make infamous at the 2000 Grammys (and helped spark the inception of Google Images). Valletta originally modeled the daring dress on the 1999 runway for the Versace spring/summer 2000 show.
“She creates moments, the kind of showstopper women that live forever on red carpets, magazine covers, on social media and, of course, in pop culture history,” DeBose said of Versace.
Versace emphasized the importance of creativity. “Great creativity is born from diversity. It has no color, no gender, no sexual orientation,” she said. “Business must never kill creativity.”
Ralph Lauren among CFDA Awards winners
CFDA chairman Thom Browne honored Diane Keaton in his opening speech and nodded to the upcoming New York City mayoral election. He presented the night’s first award to Ralph Rucci, who earned the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. Michael Kors stood immediately, leading a rousing standing ovation for Rucci.
Ralph Lauren won the coveted womenswear designer award at 86, three decades after winning it in 1995.
Naomi Campbell delivered a touching speech to Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier, who was named international designer of the year. Campbell, a muse of Mulier’s predecessor Azzedine Alaïa, said, “Could anyone truly honor Azzedine’s exceptional legacy? … Fortunately, Pieter answered the call, not with words, but with work and respect.”
Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo earned the Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion and was introduced by award-winning director Ava DuVernay.
Julianne Moore presented friend and fashion designer Cynthia Rowley with the founder’s award for her namesake brand. “Every day I feel so lucky that my job is to have an idea and make it a reality,” Rowley said.
Andre Walker received the board of directors’ tribute, named after late Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo.
Full list of winners:
- American womenswear designer of the year: Ralph Lauren
- American menswear designer of the year: Thom Browne
- American accessory designer of the year: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row
- Google Shopping American emerging designer of the year: Ashlynn Park for Ashlyn
- Lifetime achievement award: Ralph Rucci
- Positive Change Award: Donatella Versace
- Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion: Jerry Lorenzo
- International designer of the year: Pieter Mulier for Alaïa
- Board of directors’ tribute: Andre Walker
- Founder’s award: Cynthia Rowley
- Media award: Sara Moonves
Anika Reed is USA TODAY’s deputy entertainment editor, covering all things entertainment and pop culture. Find her on Instagram and TikTok, or send her an email at ajreed@usatoday.com.
