Nicole Kidman to present top prize at 2017 CFDA awards; Rick Owens, Kenneth Cole among honorees

MARK your calendars! On Monday, June 5, the world's top designers and fashion's powers that be will flock to New York's Manhattan Centre for the Council of Fashion Designers of America's annual awards ceremony. After clocking up countless red carpet appearances at the Cannes Film Festival, Australian actress Nicole Kidman is flying in to present the coveted Womenswear designer award.
While grabbing a place on the guest list is near impossible, this year the CFDA are letting mere mortals in on the action by livestreaming fashion's most exciting night on Facebook.
Tune in to www.facebooks.com/cfda at 6pm EST for the red carpet kick-off, ahead of the show at 8:45 EST.
Top stylist and co-host of E!'s Fashion Police Brad Goreski will host CFDA's Facebook coverage, providing real-time scoops on the designers, celebrities and prize winners.
"We have wanted to bring the CFDA Fashion Awards to a wider audience for some time and are excited to do this on Facebook Live this year," said Steven Kolb, President and CEO of America's official governing body.
A cluster of US TV and music stars led by Late Night host Seth Meyers, will hand over this year's prestigious awards: Kerry Washington, aka Olivia Pope on Scandal, will present this year's Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent.
Jon Bon Jovi will give the Swarovski Award for Positive Change to US designer and influential AIDS awareness activist Kenneth Cole. For the second year, Cole will lend his name to the CFDA prize for Footwear innovation, which will be awarded to Erika Tompkins, a recent graduate of San Francisco's Academy of Art University.
And now for a look at this year's noteworthy nominees and honorees ... In the running for fashion's ultimate honours are:
Womenswear designer of the year: Joseph Altuzarra for Altuzarra, Raf Simons for Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler, and Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row.
Accessory designer of the year: Stuart Vevers for Coach, Irene Neuwirth, Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel for Mansur Gavriel, Paul Andrew, and Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row.
Menswear designer of the year: Raf Simons for Calvin Klein, Robert Geller, Thom Browne, Tim Coppens, and Todd Snyder.
Former Dior designer Raf Simons' commendable debut at Calvin Klein could earn him a double whammy if he collects the top two prizes for best womenswear and menswear designer of the year. The Olsen twins also boast two nominations at this year's awards.
All eyes will be on Michele Lamy who will present her husband Rick Owens with the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, and Anna Wintour who will pay a posthumous tribute with the CFDA's Fashion Icon award to her fellow Vogue Editor Franca Sozzani. — AFP Relaxnews