At Monday night’s CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History, Thom Browne, the current chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, made the case that fashion has a place even amid times of world crisis.

In a powerful speech that kicked off the evening, Browne noted that CFDA members “thought carefully about the appropriateness of a fashion celebration in a time like this. But tonight is about so much more than celebrating individuals,” he said. “We’re coming together as a collective to champion creativity, diversity and inclusion in our American industry.”

Thom Browne attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards on Nov. 6, 2023.© Provided by Hollywood Reporter
That sentiment was reflected on the pre-event carpet as well, that an industry which exceeds $350 billion in global impact annually could create a moment of solidarity as they honor both established and emerging designers. “This event in particular gives a lot of exposure to young designers, and that gives young people across our beautiful country hope,” Chloë Sevigny told The Hollywood Reporter. “In this room you see an incredible amount of diversity and a celebration of all things America, and I think we need a little bit of that right now.”

Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA, agreed. “Thom’s remarks will address the state of the world,” Kolb said before the ceremony. “But in times of conflict and in times of great stress, art and creativity can be of great comfort to people. And as an industry, the second-largest industry in New York City, we’ve always had a great heart.”

The annual CFDA Awards indeed celebrate the best of American fashion; winners taking home 2023 honors include Catherine Holstein of Khaite for American womenswear designer of the year (her second consecutive year winning the prize); Willy Chavarria and his eponymous label as American menswear designer of the year; Jonathan Anderson and his J.W. Anderson and Loewe collections for international designer of the year; Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, whose The Row collection captured American accessory designer of the year; and Rachel Scott, whose Diotima label took home the prize for American emerging designer of the year.

Previously announced winners also honored Monday evening included Serena Williams as the night’s Fashion Icon honoree and Gwyneth Paltrow, winner of the Amazon Innovation Award as she celebrates 15 years of her Goop brand. “I hope that the next generation of female entrepreneurs see that we all have the power to forge our own paths, to be multi-hyphenates, to create second, or third, acts in our own lives,” Paltrow told the audience.