The designer steps into the role previously held by Tom Ford as the Chairman of The Council of Fashion Designers of America for a two-year term.
Thom Browne will take over as the CFDA’s chairman on January 1, 2023, according to the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The appointment comes at a time when many in the international fashion community are seeking a welcome change to the direction of New York Fashion Week and a clearer stance on the meaning of American fashion on the international stage.
Browne has been appointed to the position by the CFDA Board of Directors for a two-year term, succeeding Tom Ford, who completed his term at the end of May.
I am very excited about taking on the chairmanship of the CFDA. I, also, feel that it is important to give back to an industry that has supported me so well over the last 20 years. I am so proud to be an American designer… there is so much happening in American design today that the world needs to really see and recognize and truly appreciate.
– Thom Browne
That recognition has been a challenge of late as there has been an exodus of marquee designers who have chosen to reach a global market by showing abroad since key communicators (editors, media, influencers), as well as key international retailers, have forgone attending NYFW finding it difficult to navigate and without key anchors to warrant the expense to cover. The week is the most over-saturated of the fashion weeks, crammed with more shows per day than any other, in the most expensive of cities for transportation and hotels. That, coupled with the distance between shows and the lack of centralized show spaces, has made the week difficult to navigate, leaving many in the international communication and retail community to forgo attending. The CFDA is on the back heel regarding managing the growing behemoth of a fashion week, since it is the only international fashion organization not receiving government funding. Nor can it control who shows or where they show.
It is important to note that while the CFDA manages the fashion calendar, the core mission and goal of the CFDA is to support the American fashion design community, and it does so via scholarships, programming, and raising funds both for itself and its charitable causes. Unlike other international fashion bodies, its membership is entirely made up of designers. However, due to the nature of NYFW, many in the international communication/retail community respond to the CFDA brand based on how well it manages those fashion weeks. And one of Browne’s challenges will be helping the brand navigate those choppy waters.
My most important message is that everyone should have all the opportunities to thrive as designers, but the core of this success has to start from pure creativity. It is our responsibility as designers to keep the story being told in an uncompromisingly creative way that reaches all in the most positive way. It is the mission of the CFDA to support and encourage new voices and new designers to parlay their creativity in to a unique and singular level of success. As designers, it is our responsibility to provoke…to educate… to entertain…to make laugh and to make cry…and, most importantly, to make beautiful clothes and to succeed in nurturing the next generation of American design.
– Thom Browne
“Thom understands the steps that are required to build an American fashion business that is both successful and highly respected by the global fashion community,” said Steven Kolb, CEO of the CFDA. “He started as an independent menswear collection in New York and developed his brand into a fast-growing, profitable business with a strong global presence. Thom firmly believes the craft of fashion is the foundation of success, and his commitment to creativity runs through everything that he touches. Thom’s significant contribution to design innovation has been recognized by museums around the world. Our members, at every level of the CFDA, and the organization as a whole will benefit immensely from his thoughts, ideas, and experience, and I’m looking forward to our work together.”