The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT will honor designer Carolina Herrera at their annual Fall Luncheon in September.
The Fashion Institute of Technology will honor Carolina Herrera with its 2014 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on Wednesday, September 3, at a benefit luncheon at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City.
As has become the tradition, this luncheon heralds the arrival of Fall Fashion Week.
This year’s luncheon chairs are Julie Macklowe and Elizabeth Musmanno.
FIT President Joyce F. Brown said, “It is our great honor to recognize Carolina Herrera, whose exquisite sense of style and commitment to sophisticated elegance has earned her international acclaim. With her rigorous standards of excellence, she is an inspiration to FIT’s own talented students as well as to all those who appreciate fashion.”
Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT and chair of the Couture Council Advisory Board explained, “Carolina Herrera exemplifies the woman of style, who is a very special kind of fashion designer. Like Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, Carolina Herrera became famous for creating the kind of elegant, beautiful clothes that she herself wears. Mrs. Herrera is her own best model, and many women today want to look like her.”
Couture Council Chairman Yaz Hernández said, “Every woman in New York wants to be like Carolina Herrera. She’s created a world in her home, in her atelier, and in her boutiques that is sophisticated perfection. As a philanthropist, she is one of the few leaders who never says no.”
Carolina Herrera says, “I have great admiration for The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology – it’s a vital link between fashion, culture and history. The work of the museum gives our industry a stage to express cultural relevance in a historical context, engaging an audience beyond fashion, beyond New York. With Valerie’s fantastic leadership and exceptional creativity, FIT’s museum is the very best in class. I am deeply touched to be acknowledged by The Couture Council and look forward to September.”
Each year the award winner is chosen by the Couture Council Advisory Board, which includes fashion journalists, editors, retailers, and curators, including Glenda Bailey, Hamish Bowles, Ken Downing, Linda Fargo, Nicole Fischelis, Akiko Fukai, Pamela Golbin, and Suzy Menkes.
Dr. Steele explains, “The committee’s mandate is to look, not only at the previous year’s accomplishments, but at a lifetime of contributions to fashion. They chose Carolina Herrera to receive the 2014 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion for a combination of reasons: Because she creates ‘beautiful and elegant clothes’, because her clothes are ‘couture quality’, because she is herself ‘an international fashion icon,’ and because she is ‘an important woman in fashion.’ Although the board looks at a designer’s entire career, it didn’t hurt that Mrs. Herrera is ‘having a moment’ right now.’”