Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
 | |
| Type | Not-for-profit trade association[1] |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1962[2] |
| Founder | Eleanor Lambert[2] |
| Purpose | Strengthen the impact of American fashion globally by amplifying creative excellence, business longevity, and positive impact.[1] |
| Key people | Thom Browne (board chairman); Steven Kolb (chief executive officer and president)[1] |
| Industry | Fashion[1] |
| Website | cfda.com |
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association founded in 1962. Its membership consists of more than 325 American womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers. The organization says its mission is to strengthen the impact of American fashion globally by amplifying creative excellence, business longevity and positive impact.[1]
The CFDA provides members with thought-leadership and business-development support and supports emerging designers and students through professional-development programs, grants and scholarships. It also hosts the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, owns the Fashion Calendar and organizes the official New York Fashion Week schedule.[1]
History
Publicist Eleanor Lambert founded the CFDA in 1962. Sydney Wragge was elected its first president in 1963. The separate CFDA Foundation followed in 1973, the first CFDA Fashion Awards were held in 1980, and the CFDA Scholarship Program was established in 1996.[2]
The CFDA credits Lambert with promoting American fashion and with helping stage the 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show, which it describes as putting American talent on the global fashion radar.[2]
Membership
Membership is by election and invitation. The CFDA's published criteria require candidates to be actively engaged in creative fashion design and to have at least five years of design experience in apparel, accessories, jewelry or related products. U.S. citizens and international designers whose businesses have been legally headquartered in the United States for at least five years may apply. Candidates submit a portfolio and at least three letters of recommendation; the Admissions Committee reviews applications, after which the Board of Directors ratifies candidates and the membership elects them.[3][4]
The CFDA's membership directory listed 353 members as of September 2026; its Annual Report 2025 recorded 327 designers as of 31 March 2026.[5][4]
Programs and activities
The CFDA groups its development programs under designers, students and the fashion industry. Its stated program pillars include diversity, equity and inclusion and sustainability in fashion.[1] Its professional-development work includes workshops, mentorship, roundtable discussions, networking events and digital resources, while its sustainability and supply-chain initiatives provide education, resources, grants, awards and connections to supply-chain resources and experts.[6][4]
The annual CFDA Fashion Awards recognize achievement across categories including womenswear, menswear, accessories and emerging talent. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund supports emerging designers through mentoring and financial awards; the fund was established after the September 11 attacks and has provided mentoring to 200 designers and more than $8 million in total funding.[4]
The CFDA Foundation is a separate not-for-profit organization created in 1973[2] to raise funds for charitable causes and industry activities[4] and to engage the CFDA membership in civic initiatives. Foundation initiatives include Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, fundraising for HIV/AIDS organizations and the CFDA Health Initiative on model health.[1][2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "About CFDA". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "History". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ "Become a Member". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "CFDA Annual Report 2025". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ "Members". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
- ↑ "Programs". CFDA. Retrieved 2026-09-15.