Challenge Accepted! The CFDA, Vogue, and Tommy Hilfiger Toast to the 2024 CVFF Fashion Finalists' Last Competition

Every year, the CFDA selects the crème de la crème of emerging designers to find the CFDA/Vogue Fashion fund finalists—10 hopeful creatives representing the best of their craft, competing to be the winners, with two runner-up spots. Amidst the past few years of fashion funders, there was a pause in the famed design challenge since COVID, but five long-awaited years later, the design challenge is back, with none other than Tommy Hilfiger leading the charge. The design challenge at hand? Stripes and stars (not to be confused with stars and stripes, mused CFDA CEO Steven Kolb).

"It's the 20th anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. The design challenge allows us judges to see how the designers can follow an assignment," Kolb told Vogue. "We wanted to back some of the favorite moments of past years of the fashion fund, and thanks to Tommy Hilfiger's support, we brought back the design challenge. Because of his generosity, each designer got $10,000 to execute their assignment."

Earlier the same day, the designers arrived at the Warren Street Hotel one by one alongside esteemed muses: Sebastien and Marianne Amisial of Sebastien Ami with Marchánt Davis, Kate Barton with Hayes Warner, Grace Ling with Alex Consani, Connor McKnight with Sean Lyles, Soull and Dynasty Ogun of L’Enchanteur with Joey Bada$$, Presley Oldham with Louisa Jacobson, Spencer Phipps of Phipps with Josh Rivera, Taylor Thompson of 5000 with Janaya Future Khan, Jane Wade with Kylie Jefferson, and Jackson Wiederhoeft Wiederhoeft with AnnaSophia Robb. All the muses sported individualist interpretations of the Stripes and Stars theme.

Upstairs, the designers mingled with one another in the 7th-floor suite three-room-suite, preparing their muses to meet the judges, showcasing a notably friendly and supportive vibe between peers competing for the same coveted title. Near the brocade sofas, jewelry designer Presley Oldham posed for a commemorative selfie with muse Louisa Jacobson—the cool-girl actor dripping in a halter top of baroque string pearls, diamonds, and moonstones.

Nearby, ever-the-edgy Grace Ling chatted with model Alex Consani, sporting silver stiletto XL long nails to match a well-tailored black blazer closed with a sculptural metallic pin. In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, design duo L'Echanteur styled their muse, rapper Joey Bada$$, in an all-blue look with star constellation appliques and a floor-length vest (forget about menswear being boring). Meanwhile, second-time fashion funder Jackson Wiederhoeft hand-sewed the final touches of muse AnnaSophia Robb's sparkling white gown, featuring approximately 30,000 glass beads applied by hand and a seemingly impossibly snatched, corseted waist. And fellow fashion funder Jane Wade chatted with Rob about a kismet coincidence between the two—Wade helped make Robb's 2022 wedding dress while working at Daniel Frankel.

"It's so amazing to be back and take so much of what I've learned the first time with Fashion Fund in 2022 and put it to good use. The support of CFDA and Vogue has meant the world in terms of what I've been able to do with Wiederhoeft over the past two years," Wiederhoeft told Vogue. "It was really fun to use two different kinds of white beads [to create the subtle stripes]. This look could be evening wear, red carpet, or bridal—and the result is it's very true to the brand."

As the clock struck 6 p.m., each hopeful having met with the judges, it was time for a much-deserved celebration downstairs in The Orangery, where the cocktail began. Spicy Margaritas, red and white wines, and plentiful passed canapés kept party-goers snacking while marveling at the fashion funder's creations. Attendees included Evan Mock, Hillary Taymour, Victor Glemaud, Joseph Altuzarra, Sarah Pidgeon, Prabal Gurung, Kim Shui, Tanner Richie, Fletcher Kasell, Jonathan Cohan, Hunter Abrams, Derek Blasberg, Patrick Ta, Phil Oh, Selby Drummond, Drake Carr, and many more esteemed CVFF designers of years passed.

"There's tremendous talent in this room. It's very impressive. I've been on the board of the CFDA for over 30 years—many of you were not yet born when we were on Seventh Avenue in our offices," said Hilfiger, warmlys addressing the fashion funders and expressing his excitement to see who will be announced as the lucky winner."