CFDA+ Goes Global.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America extends its CFDA+ program. Created in 2013, CFDA+ was formed to recognize the best of the recent graduates from the leading fashion design programs in the United States in order to create a vetted pool of outstanding emerging talent for the Fashion Industry to look to when making new hires.
This year, the program expanded to include top-ranked international fashion schools. The Council received over 400 submissions, from 51 schools around the world. Of the 71 grauates awarded CFDA+ status in 2014, 41 attended international schools, and 31 were from US- based schools.
CFDA+ applicants undergo a rigorous portfolio assessment and a virtual interview process and are chosen by a group of industry experts, announced the institution.
“The CFDA+ program was born from our designers’ need to hire the top talent in order to remain leaders in this industry,” says Diane von Furstenberg, President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. “The global expansion of CFDA+ allows us to recognize an even greater group of promising emerging professionals who have the diverse specializations and skill sets which are desired by the CFDA Members. The CFDA wants to play a part in bringing this talent to the American fashion industry.”
To showcase the work of the CFDA+ recipients, CFDA partnered with Arts Thread, the launchpad for new creatives and the world’s leading network for new designers, to host all CFDA+ portfolios.
The Council of Fashion Designers of America is a not-for-profit trade association whose membership consists of more than 400 of America’s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers.
