Supreme and OFF-WHITE are among 2018's CFDA Award nominees

Every year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announces awards for a range of categories, celebrating the best of American fashion. This year’s nominees were just announced, giving us a glimpse into the top American-bred fashion brands and names. A highly-coveted title, previous CFDA award winners includes the likes of Public School, Thom Browne, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and more. This year’s nominees were announced on social media for the first time ever, with industry names Candice Huffine, Martha Hunt, Young Paris, Todd Snyder, Irene Neuwirth and Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia of Monse making the announcements on CFDA’s official Instagram account. 

Those in the running for Womenswear Designer of the Year Award include Raf Simons for Calvin Klein, Gabriela Hearst, Marc Jacobs, Virgil Abloh for OFF-WHITE, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for the Row. As for the Menswear Designer of the Year Award, the nominees are Raf Simons for Calvin Klein, Virgil Abloh for OFF-WHITE, James Jebbia for Supreme, Thom Browne and Tom Ford.

These nominations signal that the CFDA is willing to upend tradition – especially with the nominations of Virgil Abloh and Supreme. A traditionally high-fashion-focused entity, many were shocked at the inclusion of a streetwear brand like Supreme – especially since the highly-sought after brand is probably best known for its box logo T-shirt versus a cut-and-sew garment with technical backing. But it’s good to see that the CFDA is aware of the changing face of fashion – especially in America, where skate culture and streetwear has become definitive of American fashion. The awards will take place on June 4, stay tuned to see who takes home the prize.