Inside the 2019 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Cocktail Design Challenge—Where Finalists Displayed Their Recycled Zara-Fabric Creations

Two weeks ago the current crop of CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists was given a task: Create a look constructed entirely out of recycled Zara fabrics and throw in a piece of vintage. A fortnight later, the resulting designs were showcased on notable muses to the CVFF judges.

“I pulled out colored threads from this white fabric, one by one, to get a plain white textile to use,” explained Danielle Hirsch of cool-girl bridal label Danielle Frankel. Wearing her painstaking creation was actor Kelsey Asbille, whose waist was nipped by an exquisite leather Alaïa corset (Hirsch’s “something vintage”).

Asbille and Hirsch were joined by the others: there was Abdul Abasi and Greg Rosborough of Abasi Rosborough with Michael Mwenso; Alejandra Alonso Rojas with Anna Baryshnikov; Victor Barragán and Princess Nokia; Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada and Varsha Thapa; Christopher John Rogers and Kat Graham; Raffaella Hanley of Lou Dallas and Scarlett Costello; Siying Qu and Haoran Li of Private Policy and Noah Carlos; Reese Cooper and Evan Mock; and Natalie Ratabesi of TRE by Natalie Ratabesi with Hedvig Palm.

The entire group gathered at The Well (the just-opened wellness center that answers the question, what if Equinox and Canyon Ranch had a baby?) for the presentation, attended by judges only. Then, it was time to celebrate!

Post-presentation, nerves were quelled and the designers were able to exhale (The Well’s soothing interior scheme certainly helped) just in time for a cocktail party. Soon enough, the space’s ground floor teemed with members of the fashion set. Former CVFF finalists Batsheva Hay, Jonathan Cohen, Aurora James, and Tanya Taylor rubbed shoulders with models like Adut Akech, Fernanda Ly, and Candice Swanepoel. Ballet dancers Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside, Huma Abedin, Nell Diamond, and a whole slew of Vogue editors were also accounted for.

Between sips of Perrier-Jouët Champagne, guests enjoyed healthy bites (miniature avo toasts and roasted carrots) by Cafe Clover. Best dressed undoubtedly went to the 10 muses who circulated the room, designers in tow, receiving admiration from all. Actor Kat Graham wore a be-crystallized suit by Christopher John Rogers—a tie-dyed blazer and trouser set worn open with a flash of satin beneath. “It’s a Frederick’s of Hollywood bra I found on Etsy,” admitted the designer, whose eyes gleamed with blue eyeshadow. “I think it’s fabulous,” Graham added. “I feel like I might need to take off this blazer to show it off!”