Eileen Fisher partners with CFDA for Social Innovator Award

By

Cajsa Lykke Carlson

Published
Feb 9, 2015

This June will see three student womenswear designers be awarded the new Eileen Fisher Social Innovator Award, according to Women's Wear Daily.

The designer has teamed up with the Council of Fashion Designers of America for the award, which will give each winner a 12-month residency in Fisher's New York-based creative center after graduation, as well as £50,000. Fisher's award will be given to student designers who are committed to sustainable design practices.

The project will see the student designers work with the company's designers and teams, and will culminate in a design project based on their experiences of working with Eileen Fisher.

"Becoming more mindful about clothing means looking at every fiber and every seed and every dye and seeing how to make it better," said Eileen Fisher, chief creative officer. "We want to inspire today’s up-and-coming designers to think about the impact they are having on the world. We want to make sustainability our way of life, we want it to be universal."

Lisa Smilor, executive director of the CFDA, said, "In addition to each receiving a prize of $50,000, these three young fashion designers will gain a strong understanding of procedures, methodologies and industry practice at a company where environmental vision and social consciousness support the development of well-designed product."

Applicants must submit digital portfolios by May 4 and the winners will be announced at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards on June 1.