Bond Hardware takes top prize in third Elaine Gold Launch Pad

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Mar 12, 2020

The Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Accessories Council have named Bond Hardware as the top prize winner of the third Elaine Gold Launch Pad.

The program, which first launched in 2017 and focuses on supporting companies that are between zero and three years of age, had a total of $150,000 to divide between five brands.

Dana Hurwitz and Mariah Pershadsingh of Bond Hardware received the largest cut of the prize money at $70,000, to be used to help fund their brand's jewelry, furniture and large sculpture work. 

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Graham Baldwin, of the "nostalgically minded" ready-to-wear brand Graham Tyler, won $40,000; Loren Thomas and Caragh Bennet of jewelry brand, Zena, were awarded $25,000; and knitwear designer, Rui Zhou, was granted $5,000.

Shanel Campbell, of ready-to-wear brand Bed on Water, was granted $10,000, and was named the recipient of the Industry City Award, allowing her to receive one year of studio space located within Brooklyn's Industry City. 

The awards were divided among the launch pad finalists by the final selection committee: Angela Luna of Adiff, a winner of the last launch pad; Antoine Phillips of Gucci; Brielle Milano of Industry City; Carly-Ann Fergus; Frank Zambrelli of Design Quadrant; Hoffman Wu of K11; Karen Giberson of the Accessories Council; Kyle Andrew of SBC Global; Leila Larijani of UBS; Mecca James-Williams of The Zoe Report; the CFDA’s Sara Kozlowski and Steven Kolb; and Stirling Barrett of Krewe.

The total $150,000 awarded included additional support from CFDA Global Ambassador, Adrian Cheng, founder of K11 and CEO of New World Development, who joined the Elaine Gold Launch Pad Advisory Board.

“The future of our industry is evident with these young brands that are participating in the Elaine Gold Launch Pad program,” said Kolb, the president and CEO of the CFDA. “CFDA is proud to invest in their success.”

Previous beneficiaries of the launch pad have included Emily Adams Bode of Bode, Lucy Jones of Ffora, Ali Rose of Flint, eyewear brand Genusee, and Angela Luna of Adiff.