True to these turbulent times, there were more than a few didn’t-see-that-coming moments at the Fashion Group International’s “Rising Star” awards Wednesday.
Winners like Bonnie Young, who picked up the Ready-to-Wear award for her By.BonnieYoung label, and the Eveningwear winner Natalia Fedner were each floored by their respective wins. Fedner, a namesake designer, said she hadn’t prepared a speech, because she didn’t think a win was possible.
The luncheon’s host Tiffany Haddish clapped enthusiastically and called out from her table, “It’s possible. It’s all possible. It’s absolutely possible.”
Wearing a dress made of stretch metal that took six years to develop, Fedner continued shakily, “I am a refugee and the daughter of refugees. I was born in Ukraine. I came to this country with nothing like many other people in this room. My story is not unique. I have worked so hard for so long and this is truly the first time that I am being recognized at this level. I’m going to need a couple of weeks to process this.”
Presenters like Fern Mallis, designer Reem Acra, Halston’s Ken Downing, Jonathan Cohen and Joanna Coles encouraged attendees. Dennis Basso, Elie Tahari, Frederick Anderson and Cyril Verdavainne were among the other designers at the annual luncheon at the event venue 583 Park Avenue. After receiving the 2025 Lifetime Achievement award. Robert Chavez, the former president and chief executive officer of Hermès Americas, said the honor was very humbling. He said he prefers to be under the radar screen — much like Hermès does. His message was to lead with emotion, as he has done through his career, by “treating people with empathy, kindness and respect, as well as recognizing them and listening to them. It’s more important than ever in our business today,” Chavez said.
Robert Chavez attends the 29th annual FGI Rising Star Awards on April 16 in New York City.
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Recalling how some of the legends that he worked for in his career like Marvin Traub, Rose Marie Bravo and Ed Finkelstein pushed him to be more than he thought he could be, Chavez tries to do the same. As for the best advice that he ever received, the well-dressed Chavez chalked that up to a former Bloomingdale’s salesperson. He said, “’Annie had the guts to tell me, ‘Don’t wear that lime green shirt. You can’t wear that anymore.’”
While some often wonder “How do we get past the velvet rope of fashion?” Downing said, it comes down to hard work, kindness, compassion and more. Acra honored his year’s Bridal winner, Jaclyn White, who has an eponymous label. Before doing so, Acra recalled how like many other attendees, she “built something from nothing and kept going through every challenge over the last 35 years. This industry is tough, but it’s also full of beauty.”
Before handing over the Fine Jewelry award to PDPaola, Coles recalled how years ago she had been given an unusual request before a private meeting with Valentino in 2006. She had been advised not to mention the war in Iraq, which had been going on for three years at that point. Absolute in her compliance, Coles inquired if it was “very personal to him,” and said that she was told, “’Please, Mr. Valentino doesn’t know about it.’” After asking how that was possible, Coles said she was told, “’Mr. Valentino doesn’t like bad news. He creates in a world of beauty. He must live in a world of beauty.’”
Coles continued, “Given all the chaos going on right now with the tariffs, everything that’s going on and the instability of the business, you realize what a wise thing it is to build your own world of beauty. That may be your colleagues, your team, your family…hold your beauty.”
Cole’s honoree Paola Sasplugas was not there to accept her award, due to another feat of beauty. PDPaola’s CEO explained that in addition to being an architect and the creative director, she had just had a baby. Accepting the Sustainability award, Zane Sabré, who co-founded Maison de Sabré with his brother Omar, recalled how the company was started in 2017 to get through dental school.
Picking up the Beauty award, Pritika Swarup, the founder of Pratki, remembered that when she had started modeling at the age of 17, she didn’t see women, who looked like her, in the beauty space. That was her inspiration for starting what she said is “not just a skin care brand, but a movement to celebrate diversity, culture and to elevate self care.”
Pritika Swarup attends the 29th annual FGI Rising Star Awards on April 16 in New York City.
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Mallis did double duty presenting the Accessories award, which was a tie between Rex Shoes’ Nanette Adair and 4CCCCEES’ Sangmin Park. Adair told the crowd that she has succeeded her late grandfather at Rex Shoes, which established roots in New Orleans in 1863. And Park started her brand to make more comfortable footwear for women that also gives them confidence.
Accepting the Sustainability award for Maison de Sabre, Omar Sabre clued in the crowd that he and his brother Omar’s company had been started to be sustainable in a different way — “to get through dental school.”
The Hilldun Business Innovation award was given to Laws of Motion’s Carly Bigi and the Macy’s-sponsored Future Fashion Award went to LIM College’s Camille Jiang. Emphasizing how supporting young talent is more important than ever, Hilldun’s CEO Gary Wassner said, “The challenges are greater. If you don’t stand up for and nurture these young designers, you won’t have an industry.”
With her final send-off, Haddish did her part, encouraging the designers in the room to email if they want her to wear their creations on the red carpet for her upcoming premieres, as well as her “Funny and Fearless” comedy tour. “I want to congratulate all of the nominees, the new creatives and my future colleagues, because we’re going to work together. Right, y’all? I need jewelry. I need skin care. I need clothes.”
The actress and comedian then insisted that all of the winners join her on the stage for a group photo and to exchange email addresses.