Behind the Scenes at the Vogue-CFDA Fashion Fund Tea

Photo Credit: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for CFDA/Vogue

The New York fashion crowd and Hollywood’s top starlets came together to check out the wares from the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s 2016 finalists on Wednesday. 

The presentation, which was held at storied West Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont, introduced the next generation of design talent to L.A.’s top stylists, editors, and influencers.  The show featured a Jazz band, futurist robots, pillow fighters, graffiti artists, and prairie fairies with baby lambs. Also participating were Hiplet dancers fusing classical pointe technique with Hip-Hop and urban dance styles, and hula-hooping courtesy of Karis Wilde, the androgynous performer who works in burlesque and cabaret.

Photo Credit: Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for CFDA/Vogue

In addition to hosting the event, kate spade new york provided all of the home items at the event including, plates, bowls, glasses, custom aprons and cushions for the chairs at the event.

VIP guests sitting front row included Katy Perry; January Jones; Amber Valletta; Rosie Huntington-Whiteley; Alessandra Ambrosio; Michelle Monaghan; Jourdan Dunn; Elaine Irwin; Haute Living ambassador Maria Sharapova; Ciara; Karlie Kloss; Nicole Richie; Cassandra Grey; Ethan Peck; Eva Chow; Sasha Lane; Gia Coppola; Jenny Lewis; Jennifer Meyer; Kate and Laura Mulleavy; Will Peltz; Nicola Peltz; Camilla Belle; Grace Gummer; Portia Doubleday; Makenzie Leigh; Aja Naomi King; Camille Rowe; Langley Fox; Anna Camp; Nikki Reed; Zoe Lister-Jones; and Poppy Delevingne.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for CFDA/Vogue

They were joined by CVFF judges Steven Kolb; Diane von Furstenberg; Jenna Lyons; Mark Holgate; Ken Downing; Reed Krakoff; and David Neville to view collections from this year’s finalists Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk of AREA; Laura Vassar Brock and Kristopher Brock of BROCK COLLECTION; Chloe Gosselin of CHLOE GOSSELIN; Stirling Barrett of KREWE DU OPTIC; Morgan Curtis of MORGAN LANE; Marjan and Maryam Malakpour of NEWBARK; Ji Oh of JI OH; Joshua Cooper and Laurence Chandler of ROCHAMBEAU; Adam Selman of ADAM SELMAN; and Chris Stamp of STAMPD.

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund was established in 2003 to help emerging American design talent find continued success in the business of fashion. With growing industry support, the prize was raised to $400,000 for the winner and $150,000 to the two runners-up in 2015. It is expected that the awards will be used to further develop each designer’s business in such areas as marketing, public relations, production and sales. In addition to the cash prizes, the award also includes mentorship from an esteemed group of industry professionals whose expertise is tailored to the designers’ needs and future goals. Since its inception, the program has granted $5.2 million to over 30 design companies. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images for CFDA/Vogue