Just as New York Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) unveiled its nominees and honorees for the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards.
Up for the American Womenswear Designer of the Year are Catherine Holstein for Khaite, Michael Kors, Rachel Scott for Diotima, Tory Burch and Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera. Scott, Burch and Gordon are all returning nominees from last year’s race, while last year’s winner, Ralph Lauren, has moved over to the menswear category.
There, Lauren joins reigning winner Thom Browne, fresh off his November win, alongside other Todd Snyder, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School New York and Willy Chavarria.
The CFDA also revealed special honorees like Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello, who will receive the International Designer of the Year Award, and Meta’s Eva Chen, who will receive the Media Award.
“The CFDA Fashion Awards presented by Amazon Fashion are a defining moment for American creativity, bringing our community together to recognize the designers and creative voices whose talent, vision, and originality continue to move our industry forward,” CFDA CEO and President Steven Kolb said in a statement. “This year feels especially meaningful as we celebrate the extraordinary breadth of American creativity and its influence on culture around the world. We are proud to honor those shaping fashion today while creating a platform that inspires and supports the generation that will define its future.”
The event, hosted by Keke Palmer, will take place on Monday, Nov. 2 at the American Museum of Natural History — the fourth consecutive year the ceremony has been held at the New York institution. Scroll along to see all of the nominees and honorees for this year’s awards.
American Womenswear Designer of the Year
- Catherine Holstein for Khaite
- Michael Kors
- Rachel Scott for Diotima
- Tory Burch
- Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera
American Menswear Designer of the Year
- Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School New York
- Ralph Lauren
- Thom Browne
- Todd Snyder
- Willy Chavarria
American Accessory Designer of the Year
- Ana Khouri
- Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen for The Row
- Raul Lopez for Luar
- Sophie Buhai
- Stuart Vevers for Coach
Google American Emerging Designer of the Year
- Colleen Allen
- Emily Dawn Long
- Julia Ferentinos for Juju Vera
- Julian Louie for Aubero
- Zane Li for Lii
Positive Change Award: Tory Burch
Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
International Designer of the Year Award: Anthony Vaccarello
Founder’s Award, in honor of Eleanor Lambert: Linda Fargo
Media Award, in honor of Eugenia Sheppard: Eva Chen
Isabel Toledo Board of Directors’ Tribute: Susan Cianciolo
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