Kim Kardashian calls for inclusivity at CFDA awards, gets honoured for her shapewear line

On Monday, beauty mogul and true blue fashionista Kim Kardashian received the first-ever Innovation Award presented by Amazon Fashion for her shapewear brand SKIMS at the Council of Fashion Designers of America 2022 Awards. She used the opportunity to advocate body positivity and inclusivity.

Co-Founder and CEO Jens Grede and Founding Partner and Chief Product Officer Emma Grede also joined Kardashian to receive the inaugural award.

"We have put a strong emphasis since our launch on continuing to shape the industry to embrace size equality and diversity as a fixture and not just a trend and I see so many of you are doing just that,"Kardashian said while addressing the audience at the ceremony that also included her sisters Khloe Kardashian,Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner and her momKris Jenner.

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While honouring SKIMS, the CFDA‘s CEO Steven Kolb shared,“With SKIMS, Kim, Emma, and Jens have pioneered new technology in the process of reinventing the concept of solutions-oriented shape-wear. Together with our CFDA Fashion Awards partner Amazon Fashion, which is a continuous innovator on behalf of customers, the CFDA is incredibly proud to honour SKIMS with the inaugural Innovation Award.”

CFDA, which is the fashion industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, washosted by actress Natasha Lyonne and CFDA members Joseph Altuzarra, Gabriela Hearst, Aurora James, Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough. The evening commemorated the history of American fashion and sixty years of the organization.

Law Roach was also honoured this year with a new award recognizing stylists for their work. "Once upon a time, there was a queen born on the south side of Chicago. A queen who was a fear force for good and for beauty and she changed the landscape of fashion just by being her,"Kerry Washington said while sharing the story of Roach’s early life.

He shared with the audience that he was watching the CFDA Awards in 2016 from behind the scenes as Zendaya’s stylist. “I watched from the kitchen as the waiters served your food and I just said to myself, ‘One day I’m going to be on that stage.’ I am an example that anything and everything is possible,” Roach said.

Bradley Cooper, Trevor Noah, and Christina Ricci were among other presenters on a night when a variety of designers took home trophies and Lenny Kravitz received the CFDA’s Fashion Icon Award.

“(Kravitz is) effortless, cool, eclectic, fearless,” Cooper said while introducing Kravitz. “Whatever it is, he’s got it. And when it comes to fashion, there’s no one cooler. There is no other musician alive today who wears leather and leopard-like Lenny.”

“My mother’s closet was my own personal boutique. I put on scarfs, belts, platform boots, boas emulating my heroes from the Jackson Five, Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, David Bowie and Miles Davis,” Kravitz said, recounting his youth growing up in the late 60s and 70s.

Last year, Zendaya was the youngest person to win the Icon award. Previous recipients have included Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez.

Cher also made a surprise appearance to present an honour to stylist Patti Wilson. “Fashion is to be fun and feared and Patti Wilson is fearless,” Cher said.

The accessories design award went to Raul Lopez and the award for American emerging designer went to Elena Velez. In the American designer categories, Catherine Holstein won the womenswear prize for KHAITE and Emily Adams Bode Aujla took the prize for menswear designer.

The Board of Trustee’s Award was awarded to Virgil Abloh to honour the late designer’s contribution to global fashion. The award was received by his wife, Shannon Abloh, who said, “What he was able to accomplish in his short 41 years will live on to inspire all of us for decades to come.”

(With inputs from agencies)