Two very different fashion icons were honored at one of the fashion industry’s most prestigious award ceremonies in New York Monday night: Jennifer Lopez and Barbie.
The pair were among a host of figures recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) at its annual awards, often known the “Oscars of the fashion world.”
Wearing a vibrant coral-red Ralph Lauren skirt and a turtleneck embellished with more than 43,000 crystals, Lopez was handed the CFDA’s Fashion Icon Award for her “long-standing and global impact on fashion,” according to the CFDA. Previous winners have included Naomi Campbell, Beyoncé, Johnny Depp and Rihanna.
“I loved fashion since I was little girl, growing up in the Bronx and to be here and among all these designers and to be honored is just a dream,” the singer and actress said on the red carpet, adding: “I’m wearing Ralph Lauren, a fellow Bronx native.”
In a somewhat unusual turn, the Mattel doll Barbie received the CFDA’s Board of Directors’ Tribute Award for her influence on fashion – as well as her esteemed designer collaborations – over the last 60 years. Model and actor Yara Shahidi presented the award, with Barbie’s official Instagram account posting a picture of the doll in a custom look by Diane von Furstenberg.
Von Furstenberg, chair of the CFDA, also made a splash at the awards by carrying a fake torch down the red carpet. The designer told guests that her dramatic entrance signified the passing of her duties to Tom Ford, who now takes over as organization’s chair.
Elsewhere, designer Eileen Fisher was honored with the Positive Change Award, in honor of her commitment to sustainability. Fisher’s eponymous brand has pledged to use only organic cotton and linen by 2020.
“I’m very excited to speak to the group and to try to inspire them to think about positive change,” she told CNN, before taking her seat at the ceremony. “It’s so needed.”
Designer Brandon Maxwell took home one of the most coveted prizes of the night, being named womenswear designer of the year. The Texas native, who made headlines with Lady Gaga’s show-stopping Met Gala outfits last month, has become a fixture on the New York fashion scene since launching his neatly tailored and feminine line in 2015.
“I’m here with my fiancé and my friends, and I’m just excited to even be invited into the room,” the designer explained, adding: “I think in fashion, we’re always looking forward and I’m just working on what’s next for September right now.”
A total of 11 awards were presented at the ceremony Monday night. Other winners included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who won a fifth CFDA Fashion Award in recent years for their brand, The Row. Emily Adams Bode was named emerging designer of the year, while Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen was honored with the Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti International Award.
And plenty of other fashion figures turned up to wow the red carpet. Gigi Hadid arrived in a gray Louis Vuitton suit with a pleated skirt alongside the brand’s artistic director and award nominee Virgil Abloh. Ciara was among the last to arrive, wearing a black silk off-the-shoulder gown, with metallic embroidery, by Vera Wang.
Halima Aden, who made history this spring when she became the first model to wear a burkini in Sports Illustrated, arrived wearing a custom Tommy Hilfiger.
“For me, it felt like life was coming full circle,” she told CNN. “What launched my career was wearing the burkini, so then to shoot for (Sports Illustrated) and shatter so many perceptions and to be alongside women, who wear very little or nothing at all, felt just so incredible.”
Scroll through the gallery above to see the best fashion from the red carpet. CNN’s Cody McCloy, Mohammed Elshamy and Oscar Holland contributed to this report.
