Vera Wang, Derek Lam and Peter Som are among the nominees for Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards

Vera Wang, Derek Lam and Peter Som are among the nominees for Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards

Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs and Ralph Rucci for Chado Ralph Rucci have been nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards winners will be announced at the annual gala, underwritten by Swarovski, on June 6th at The New York Public Library.

John Bartlett, Ralph Lauren and John Varvatos have been nominated as Menswear Designer of the Year, while Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Janis Savitt for M + J Savitt and Gerard Yosca have been nominated as the leading Accessory Designers.

The Perry Ellis Awards were established to recognize and support the talent and creativity of the next generation of American designers. Thom Browne, Rogan Gregory for Rogan and Alexandre Plokhov for Cloak have been nominated for Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Menswear. Derek Lam, Behnaz Sarafpour, and Peter Som are nominees for the Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Womenswear, presented to an American designer who has made the greatest impact as an emerging new talent for his or her womenswear design through his or her Spring and Fall 2005 collections. For Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Accessory Design the nominees are Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong for Anthony Nak, Holly Dunlap for Hollywould, and Devi Kroell. The winner in each category will receive generous financial support and product from Swarovski.

This year's special award honorees include: Gilles Bensimon, Publication Director of ELLE (Eugenia Sheppard Award), Alber Elbaz, Artistic Director, Lanvin (International Award), Diane Von Furstenberg (Lifetime Achievement Award), Kate Moss (Award for Fashion Influence), Norma Kamali (Board of Director's Special Tribute)

"The 2005 CFDA Fashion Awards nominees and honorees represent an impressive cross-section of creative talents in the American Fashion industry. The 2005 CFDA fashion Awards is a tribute to their achievements, and celebrates the artistry of these individuals," said Peter Arnold, the executive director of the CFDA.

The nominees and honorees were selected by over 450 fashion designers, press, retailers and stylists. This year's awards nominating committee will vote on-line and can view each nominee's collection beginning Apr. 13th at http://www.cfda.com, the official website of the 2005 CDFA Fashion Awards.

About the CFDA
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of over 260 of America's foremost fashion and accessory designers. CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate not-for-profit company, which was organized to raise funds for charity and industry activities. CFDA membership is by invitation only. New candidates are recommended by two current CFDA members, and voted in by the Board of Directors annually. Founded in 1962, the CFDA's initial goals were, and still are, "to further the position of fashion design as a recognized branch of American art and culture, to advance its artistic and professional standards, to establish and maintain a code of ethics and practices of mutual benefit in professional, public, and trade relations, and to promote and improve public understanding and appreciation of the fashion arts through leadership in quality and taste."