The 10 finalists of the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund have been named. They are: Ahlem Manai-Platt of Ahlem; Becca McCharen-Tran of Chromat; Christopher Bevans of Dyne; Victor Glemaud; Jordan Askill; Matthew Harris of Mateo New York; Eli Azran of RTA; Sandy Liang; Telfar Clemens of Telfar LLC, and Patric DiCaprio, Bryn Taubensee, David Moses and Claire Sully of Vaquera.
“The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund continues to transform the careers of American designers through mentoring and financial support,” said Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA. “By fostering emerging talent, the Fashion Fund lays the foundation for the future of American fashion.”
This year, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Selection Committee welcomes four new judges: Joseph Altuzarra, Creative Director at Altuzarra; Eva Chen, Head of Fashion Partnerships at Instagram; Roopal Patel, Senior Vice President and Fashion Director at Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nicole Phelps, Director at Vogue Runway.
Ahlem Manai-Platt, Ahlem
Based: Los Angeles, California
Launched: 2014
How would you describe your brand in three words?
“Beauty, functionality, quality.”
What is your favorite decade for fashion?
“The ’80s! It’s so crazy and over-the-top, so different from what I do, because I do functionality and precise lines, and the ’80s is in contrast to that.”
Who do you follow on Instagram?
“I follow a lot of architecture accounts like Architectural Digest and Bauhaus.Movement, because the Bauhaus is my real inspiration.”
How does it feel to be a CVFF finalist?
“I’m so happy and proud of all of us, and proud of my team. I want to learn everything—how to create amazing marketing presentations, how to open many stores and remain independent, how to do amazing online sales. . . . There’s so much [to learn].”
