Ulla Johnson American Image Awards

The AAFA American Image Awards honorees included Target as Retailer of the Year, accepted by Bill Foudy, Senior Vice President and President of Owned Brands; American Textile Company as Company of the Year, accepted by Lance Ruttenberg, President and CEO; Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, President of Pensole Lewis College as Fashion Maverick; Katherine Gold, President and CEO of GoldBug as Trailblazer; Apparel Impact Institute as Eco-Steward of the Year, accepted by President Lewis Perkins; and Ulla Johnson as Designer of the Year.

The evening celebrated legacy and innovation, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. Katherine Gold was the first honoree of the night, speaking about her company’s three-generation commitment to children’s products and its growing focus on maternal health. “I believe that achieving a better tomorrow for all of us is completely doable if we each make doing so part of our core corporate conviction,” said Gold in her acceptance speech.

The 2025 AAFA American Image Awards honoree slate (l. to r.): Scarlet Fu, emcee, Steve Lamar of AAFA, Laura Weber of LW Pearl, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards of the Pensole Lewis College, Ulla Johnson, Katherine Gold of GoldBug, Bill Foudy of Target, Lance Ruttenberg of American Textiles, Lewis Perkins of the Apparel Impact Institute (Aii), and Steven Kolb of CFDA

Continuing the theme, Lewis Perkins emphasized the holistic side of sustainability, stating, “Because sustainability is not just a technical challenge—it’s a human one. It’s about reconnecting the soul of a company to the soul of its purpose.”

Representing American Textile Company, Lance Ruttenberg reflected on the company’s 100-year anniversary, sharing, “We believe in sharing our success with the communities and people that have supported us on this journey in ways that can make their lives just a little better in the cities we have operations. If we can succeed in business while giving back to those people and those communities, we hope to have demonstrated being worthy of this incredible recognition received this evening.”

Following dinner, the program spotlighted Laura Weber of LW Weber, a CFDA grant recipient who spoke about the critical impact of CFDA’s support on American manufacturing. Ulla Johnson made an emotional statement using her designs “to continue to celebrate women’s voices, our collective power, and our hard won rights for all those less fortunate than I, and for my daughter and all the daughters in generations to come.”

She was followed by Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, who inspired the room with a message of resilience, stating, “At Pensole Lewis our mission is clear… Make dreams accessible to everyone willing to work hard for it.”

The final remarks came from Bill Foudy, speaking on behalf of Target, who shared, “I want to thank AAFA for their partnership and for being a trusted voice for the apparel and footwear industry… The work you do to help shape public policy and ensure we are represented at the national level has never been more important.”

Designer Cynthia Rowley at the 2025 AAFA American Image Awards

The evening was a tribute to America’s proud heritage of fashion and manufacturing, while celebrating the exciting future ahead through continued commitments to sustainability, innovation, and global impact.

“As we face a challenging time for our industry, the 2025 American Image Awards is a powerful reminder of why we remain optimistic,” said Steve Lamar, president and CEO of AAFA. “The honorees we celebrate tonight embody the creativity, resilience, and vision that continue to push us forward. This year has already tested us in new ways, but it’s clear that unity and diversity—across people, ideas, and approaches—are what will drive us through. Our 2025 American Image Award honorees show exactly why our industry will not just endure, but thrive.”

“On behalf of the entire AAFA Board, I applaud this exceptional group for their visionary contributions to our industry,” said Halide Alagöz, chair of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. “Through our partnership with the CFDA Foundation, we are proud to celebrate our industry’s success and the honorees who are shaping the future of fashion and footwear.'”

“We offer enormous thanks all those who attended the American Image Awards for the support to the CFDA Foundation and our crucial partnership with AAFA,” said Steven Kolb, CEO, CFDA. “Through the Foundation, we are able to advance support of important work on behalf of the American fashion industry, including local manufacturing, business grants, scholarships, and DEI programming.”

As guests arrived, the red carpet buzzed with energy, drawing fashion executives, designers, influencers, and other notable figures together in anticipation of the evening’s celebration. Among the designers were Reem Acra, Kate Barton, John Bartlett, Olivia Cheng, Chuks Collins, Aisling Camps, Jonathan Cohen, Ruthie Davis, Ken Downing, Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, Evan Hirsch, D’On Lauren Edwards, Joseph Millman, Bibhu Mohapatra, Jameel Mohammed, Cynthia Rowley, Kim Shui, Emily Smith, Cyril Verdavainne, Jane Wade, and Houston White. Other VIP guests included influencers Tijana Ibrahimovic, Jen Su, Lindsey Coffey, and Caroline Vazzana, Maryanne Grisz of Fashion Group International, model Frederique van der Wal, Gary Wassner of Hilldun Corporation, Laura Weber of LW Pearl, Lisa Smilor of CFDA, Jack Ouellette of American Textile Company, Halide Alagöz of Ralph Lauren Corporation, and Gail Klapper of The Klapper Firm. Also in attendance were previous honorees Brandice Daniel of Harlem’s Fashion Row, and Federica Marchionni of Global Fashion Agenda.

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Alyce Panico, Robert Chavez, Maryanne Grisz, and Gary Wassner at the FGI Rising Star Awards in NYC on April 16

Hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and NAACP Image Award-winning actress, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Haddish, the event was infused with wit, energy, and star power. Making her FGI debut, Haddish praised the organization’s global reach and impact, saying, “Today we celebrate 29 years of the Rising Star Awards honoring emerging talent who are shaping the future of fashion, beauty, and beyond.”

Cyril Verdavainne and Tiffany Haddish at the FGI Rising Star Award

A key moment of the ceremony was the presentation of FGI’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Robert Chavez, former President and CEO of Hermès Americas (Ret.) and recently appointed Independent Director on Macy’s board. Reflecting on his career, Chavez shared, “For me, it’s always about people. As I look out, there are so many achievers, dreamers that I see, that have touched my life. It’s been an amazing journey.”

Now in its second year, the Macy’s Future Fashion Award in Fashion Merchandising was awarded to Camille Jiang of LIM College. Jiang received a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of her academic excellence and potential as a future leader in the industry.

For nearly three decades, the FGI Rising Star Awards have been a springboard for notable alumni including Tory Burch, Jason Wu, Brandon Maxwell, Phillip Lim, and Rent the Runway founders Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss. The program honors designers, founders, and entrepreneurs in the early stages of business—typically within two to six years of launch—offering them vital exposure and industry connections.

This year’s event attracted an influential audience of designers, executives, and tastemakers, including Elie Tahari, Dennis Basso, Fern Mallis, Gary and Cole Wassner, Cyril Verdavainne, Frederick Anderson, Jonathan Cohen, Ken Downing, James Aguiar, Joanna Coles, Micaela Erlanger, NJ Falk, and more.

FGI Global President and CEO Maryanne Grisz, along with Chairperson Alyce Panico, offered heartfelt remarks. Grisz quoted Eleanor Roosevelt, stating, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,” adding, “Our Rising Stars truly embody this belief. Today’s celebration not only honors their achievements but also empowers them through connection with a dynamic network of peers, mentors, and leaders.”

The FGI Rising Star Awards stands as one of Fashion Group International’s cornerstone fundraising events. More than just a celebration, the event reflects FGI’s enduring commitment to supporting fashion professionals at every stage of their careers through access to vital resources, educational programming, and a global network for connection and growth.

2025 Rising Star Awards Jury Panel

Applications for the 2025 awards opened in September 2024 to businesses operating between two and six years. Final honorees were selected through a combination of FGI member voting and the insight of a distinguished jury of industry leaders. The panel included Nicole Fischelis, Constance White, Ken Downing, Gary Wassner, Fern Mallis, Sharon Graubard, Ty Hunter, Caroline Fabrigas, Karen Young, Laura Gellar, Claudia Poccia, Bryna Pomp, Roberta Naas, Karen Giberson, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger, Carlos Campos, Reem Acra, Christina Plumlee, Cheryl Onodera, Jodi Kahn, Grace Chang, Vivian Rivetti, and Francois Damide.

Pre-Awards Celebration at APL Soho – April 15, 2025

On the eve of the Rising Star Awards, FGI hosted an intimate fireside chat at APL’s flagship store in New York City’s SoHo district. The April 15th event offered this year’s honorees the chance to connect ahead of the main ceremony, fostering thoughtful dialogue on leadership, mentorship, and giving back within the fashion industry.

The event was hosted by APL Managing Partner NJ Falk and moderated by FGI Chairperson Alyce Panico. Featured speakers included Falk, inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Robert Chavez, and fashion financier Gary Wassner. Joining the discussion were special guest and event host Tiffany Haddish, alongside FGI Global CEO and President Maryanne Grisz.

In her welcoming remarks, Alyce Panico—CEO of Luxe Collective Group—emphasized the values that define the Rising Star Program:
“Leadership and mentorship are at the heart of the FGI journey and the roots that inspire the FGI Rising Star Program. They’re not just buzzwords—they’re the building blocks of creative growth, personal development, and long-term success.”

2025 Event Sponsors
The 2025 FGI Rising Star Awards were proudly sponsored by Hilldun Corporation and Macy’s.

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