Jason Wu, John Varvatos, Isabel and Ruben Toledo to Salute FGI’s Rising Stars
NEW YORK — Designer John Varvatos is to deliver the keynote address at the Fashion Group International’s 21st Annual Rising Star Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street on Jan. 25.
The on-the-rise contenders also will get some words of wisdom from previous winners Jason Wu and the husband-and-wife team Isabel and Ruben Toledo. In addition to the eight categories, this year’s Hilldun Business Innovation Award will also be presented at the luncheon. Gary Wassner will do the honors for the factoring and finance company, which along with Hearst Magazines and Saks Fifth Avenue is among the sponsors of this year’s Rising Star Awards.
Having known what it’s like to be a winner (and once served as the event’s keynote speaker), Wu will give the Womenswear award. The competitive field includes Asher Levine, Chris Gelinas, Jeffrey Dodd, Romeo Hunte, Cristina Ottaviano, J. Dosi’s Jenna Marie Piantedosi and Tabula Rasa’s Emily Diamandis.
Todd Snyder will hand the Menswear award to one of three candidates: Dyne’s Christopher Bevans, Krammer & Stoudt’s Mike Rubin or Private Policy’s Haoran Li and Siying Qu.
Bergdorf Goodman’s Kelley Miller Doherty will award the Fine Jewelry prize to one of the following finalists: 64 Facets’ Gourav Soni, Anna Karlin Fine Jewelry’s Anna Karlin, CB Bronfman’s Clarissa Bronfman or Misahara Jewelry’s Lepa Galeb-Roskopp. Marie Claire’s creative director Kate Lanphear will give the Accessories award to one of these nominees: 1 Atelier’s Stephanie Sarka and Frank Zambrelli, Alumnae’s Kari Sigerson and Eliza Axelson-Chidsey, Behno’s Shivam Punjya, Marion Parke, M. Gemi ’s Cheryl Kaplan and Maria Gangemi, Rory Worby Studio’s Rory Worby or Tarryn Simone.
Malin + Goetz founders Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz have been tapped to honor the Beauty-Fragrance Corporate winner. In the running are the Estée Lauder Cos.’ Elena Wood, Givaudan Fragrances’ Natalie Brand and International Flavors & Fragrances’ Fanny Bal.
The Toledos are to pass out the Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur award. Vying for that honor are Dr. Barbara Sturm Molecular Cosmetics’ Dr. Barbara Sturm, Farmacy’s Mark Veeder, Strangelove NYC’s Elizabeth Gaynes and WelleCo’s Andrea Horwood and Elle Macpherson.
Town & Country’s Whitney Robinson will present the Home Furnishings-Product Innovation award. This year’s finalists are Charlie Sprout’s Rebecca Bravin, Hawkins New York’s Nicholas Blaime and Paul Denoly, Jacob Laws Interior Design’s Jacob Laws and Yield’s Andrew Deming and Rachel Gant.
Retail consultant Robert Burke is to bestow the Retail award. The nominees include ByReveal’s Megan Berry, Maison-de-Mode.com’s Amanda Hearst and Hassan Pierre, Queen of Raw’s Stephanie Benedetto and The Perfect Provenance’s Lisa Lori.
As a warm-up to the event, a private cocktail party will be held January 16 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
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