The CFDA fashion fund finalists have been announced and her is an introduction to the 10 finalist which we will be seeing a lot more of!
Andrea Lieberman, A.L.C
Hometown: New York CityLives in: Beverly Hills
Lives in: Beverly Hills
A.L.C. in five words: “Modern, effortless, chic, tribal, minimal.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “Remaining calm!”
Where she was when she got the news she’d been named a finalist:“When I returned home from dropping my daughter at school I saw a message from Steven Kolb. I called back and my heart was pounding!”
How she’ll unwind after the presentation: “I’m jumping on a plane and going right back to my studio!”
Sofia Sizzi, Giulietta
Hometown: Florence, Italy
Lives in: Financial District, New York City
Giulietta in five words: “Nostalgic, modern, classic, ironic, strong.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “I can talk about the clothes all day long, but it’s not my cup of tea to talk intricately about the number details. I usually see the books and make sure we don’t go out of business—that’s about it! Sitting in front of the judging panel and having to discuss it was a challenge.”
Where she was when she got the news she’d been named a finalist:“I’d been at the doctor that morning because I’d hurt my foot and couldn’t really walk. When I arrived back at the office and saw a camera crew there, I knew it must have been good news. Suddenly I was jumping around!”
How she’ll unwind after the presentation: “We have everything made in Italy, but as everyone knows, my country loves to take a month of vacation in the summer, so now I’ll start concentrating on the details for my spring collection that I can produce in New York. I wish I could go on vacation. Maybe after fashion week. . . .”
Greg Armas, Assembly New York
Hometown: Medford, Oregon
Lives in: Lower East Side, New York City
Assembly New York in five words: “Discrete, simple, authoritative, integrated, future-primitive.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “It was about separating two things: the brick-and-mortar shop and the actual collection. Where one begins and the other ends is something I’ve had to start formulating through this process and decide, what is the future of this brand?”
Where he was when he got the news he’d been named a finalist: “I didn’t expect it in a million years. I was standing in the middle of a bodega with some coconut water in one hand and the phone in the other, and when Steven Kolb called I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ ”
How he’ll unwind after the presentation: “So far, a sandwich is as far as I’ve gotten. I was thinking of getting an artisanal grilled cheese. Also, I just got a text from someone to go rafting down the Colorado River; I have to decide if I’m going to take him up on that.”
Justin Salguero and Daniel Silberman; Illesteva
Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany (Daniel) and New York (Justin)
Lives in: Tribeca, New York City
Illesteva in five words: “Timeless, bold, craftsmanship, unique, passionate.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: Silberman says, “I’ve never done a presentation in front of people, so going before the judges, people we look up to, was very challenging.”
Where they were when they got the news they’d been named a finalist:
Silberman says, “I was on a plane to San Francisco for a business meeting and someone in my office texted me to say Steven from the CFDA was looking for me. Then when we landed, they wouldn’t let us off the plane! I called back like, three hours later.” Salguero says, “I was in my hotel room in San Francisco getting ready for our business meeting. I’d missed Daniel’s first couple of calls because I was in the shower!”
How they’ll unwind after the presentation: Silberman says, “I’m going to take a nap at home. We’ll probably celebrate tonight.” Salguero adds, “I think I’m going to take a nap too. Then maybe we’ll have a glass of champagne later on!”
Jennifer Fisher, Jennifer Fisher Jewelry
Hometown: Santa Barbara, California
Lives in: Tribeca, New York City
Jennifer Fisher Jewelry in five words: “Individual, empowering, diverse, edgy, eclectic.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “I’ve sold jewelry privately for so long, so I guess expanding in preparation for this and starting to do resort and holiday collections. I was never forced to create collections before—everything was evergreen, so that was a challenge.”
Where she was when she got the news she’d been named a finalist: “I was at a lunch meeting when I got this frantic call to come back to the office because there was an emergency. When I walked in, I was handed a Post-it saying Steven Kolb had called. I figured it out at that point. After I spoke to him, I hung up the phone and cried. I was the sap who cried!”
How she’ll unwind after the presentation: “I don’t get to! I told the girls at work we should go out for lunch today and celebrate, but they’re all too busy. We’ll figure something out.”
Jennifer Meyer Maguire, Jennifer Meyer
Hometown: Los Angeles
Lives in: Los Angeles
Jennifer Meyer in five words: “Personal, delicate, colorful, awesome, classic.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “I feel like the challenges are just beginning! Going in front of the judges has been the biggest so far though. I’ve never been so excited and so nervous at the same time.”
Where she was when she got the news she’d been named a finalist:“I’d just gotten out the shower; it was 8:30 a.m. I got the phone call from Steven Kolb and burst into tears. It was the best feeling.”
How she’ll unwind after the presentation: “I’m getting on a plane right back to L.A. to go tuck my two kids into bed. I got in on Sunday and three nights without them is the longest I’ve ever gone.”
Erin Beatty and Max Osterweis, Suno
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colorado (Beatty); San Francisco (Osterweis)
Lives in: West Village, New York (Beatty); Brooklyn, New York (Osterweis)
Suno in five words: “Optimistic, colorful, ethical, intellectual, comfortable.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist, the second time around: Osterweis says, “I think being in front of the judges was tough.” Beatty says, “The questions were really hard this time around, because I think if we’re going to do this again, we’re really going to have to answer for our business.”
Where they were when they got the news they’d been named finalists: Osterweis says, “We were together looking at office spaces when we got the call.”
How they’ll unwind after the presentation: Beatty says, “We both are going back to work after this, but this weekend I hear it’s going to rain, so I want to stay at home all day, watch movies and relax.” Osterweis says, “I’m hosting a bunch of my high school and college friends at my house in Shelter Island for the weekend.”
Tabitha Simmons, Tabitha Simmons
Hometown: Cambridgeshire, England
Lives in: Chelsea, New York City
Tabitha Simmons in five words: “Feminine, sexy, quirky, detailed, versatile.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “I guess I just overcame the biggest challenge, which was going in and talking about my company in front of ten incredible people who are very established in their field.”
Where she was when she got the news she’d been named finalists: “I was in the middle of shooting a fashion story when I got the call.”
How she’ll unwind after the presentation: “I won’t have time to unwind just yet. I have an appointment with a designer right after, and then I’m heading to the airport and getting on a plane to London for a shoot.”
Greg Chait, The Elder Statesman
Hometown: Paradise Valley, Arizona
Lives in: Malibu
The Elder Statesman in five words: “West Coast values, Americana, luxury.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “I’m launching three collections this week, with 40 meetings on top of this, a family reunion, and a wedding. Managing all my commitments and being sure to execute everything the way I like to has been the biggest challenge.”
Where he was when he got the news he’d been named a finalist: “I was driving to work and Steven Kolb called me and told me the good news. I pulled over by the beach, jumped into the water to surf, and then went on to work.”
How he’ll unwind after the presentation: “I’m going to a barbecue with friends in the city later on.”
Wes Gordon, Wes Gordon
Hometown: Atlanta
Lives in: NoHo, New York City
Wes Gordon in five words: “Elegant, slightly disheveled, fresh, timeless.”
Biggest challenge as a finalist: “It’s definitely been a mission of self-exploration. Answering the questions for the application is a fantastic exercise because it forces you to address questions that are both abstract and specific about your business, questions that you haven’t taken the time to answer before.”
Where he was when he got the news he’d been named a finalist: “I was in my office in the Financial District when Steven Kolb called. It was around lunchtime. I knew it was happening that day so I was getting a bit anxious. I kept checking the CFDA and Vogue on Twitter to see if there was any news.”
How he’ll unwind after the presentation: “I can’t unwind. I have the spring collection to focus on now. I’m going to go home, change out of my suit, and get back to work.”
