Kate Hudson, Hailey Bieber, and Ciara were among the numerous celebrities who attended the third edition of the Fashion Trust U.S. (FTUS), a non-profit organization started by Tania Fares, in Los Angeles on April 8.
Every year, the event invites the media to the Designer Showcase at the Citizen News, an Art Deco structure from 1930 that housed the Hollywood Citizen-News headquarters, one of the biggest newspapers in Los Angeles until the paper’s demise in 1970. A chance to learn about the 16 finalists in the following categories: Sustainability, Jewelry, Accessories, Ready-to-Wear, and Graduate.
The Lot at Formasa’s West Hollywood studios was the next destination. A wide range of celebrities were asked to dine and participate in the event on the FTUS red carpet, which is a customary practice prior to the actual ceremony. Influencer and businesswoman Devon Lee Carlson, singers Fergie and Mandy Moore, actors Julia Fox (seen wearing a red rose-print Marni dress and matching cosmetics), Cara Delevingne, and Laverne Cox were all present at the photocall.
The Fashion Trust U.S. Honorary Award for lifetime contributions to the fashion industry was given to Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Saint Laurent, by model and socialite Hailey Bieber after singers Ciara and Keke Palmer gave speeches and singer Natasha Bedingfield performed a mini-concert, reviving her 2004 song “Unwritten.”
“Anthony’s impact extends beyond the runway, inspiring a new generation of creatives and shaping culture across disciplines,” said Tania Fares, founder of the FTUS.
“Through his initiatives, including the expansion of the house into cinema with great success, he continues to reinforce a vision where fashion and culture move as one.”
The 2025 winners, who were picked from 16 finalists by FTUS board members Laura Brown, Carlos Nazario, Karla Welch, Maha Dakhil, and Cameron Silver, were then announced. David LaChapelle, Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monaé, Jeremy Scott, Kate Hudson, Laverne Cox, and Willy Chavarria are ambassadors, and the advisory board members include Ana Khouri, Anne Crawford, Bob Mackie, Brandon Blackwood, Francesco Risso, Monique Lhuillier, Jonathan Simkhai, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Laurie Lynn Stark, Law Roach, Tan France, and Valerie Messika.
Designer Rachel Scott of Diotima won the Ready-To-Wear category, making her the main winner of the third FTUS awards. Scott, a Jamaican native, was the 2024 CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year winner. Diotima was created between Jamaica and New York and was founded in 2021. Each collection is built on crochet and is rooted in a respect for savoir-faire. Its emphasis is on promoting and bolstering Jamaica’s craft communities.
“Through Diotima, I seek to present a seductive and nuanced vision of Carribean style, looking to the future while remaining grounded in history and my lived experience as a Jamaican,” summed up Scott. With this award, Scott receives a large prize and access to a Google mentoring program created in partnership with FTUS.
The designer Dani Griffiths, who founded the New York-based brand Clyde, was born in Vancouver and won the accessories category. Her brand started out as a line of crocheted wool accessories and has since expanded to include minimalist leather purses created in an artisanal studio in New Jersey, gloves woven in Italy, and sculptured hats blocked by hand in New York.
Singer Ciara gave the jewelry award to Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz, founder of the New York-based company Beck. Zeijdel-Paz, who was born in Venezuela and grew up in Curaçao, designed the Beck line of exquisite jewelry, which is characterized by the design conflicts between her island heritage and her life in New York.
“Our collections envelope the shades of blue and rhythmic textures of ocean waves. Each piece carries within the spirit of my native island – my endless fascination and deep respect fo the sea” explained Zeijdel-Paz.
Nana Kwame Adusei of the Kwame Adusei brand was given the Sustainability award by Kate Hudson. Adusei, who is originally from Ghana, first envisioned himself in the fashion industry after pursuing a career in basketball. He first established a workshop in Los Angeles’ Downtown area after immigrating to the US in 2019, then in 2023 he opened his first boutique in Beverly Hills.
“We want to bring back the essence of old Hollywood,” the designer explained to FashionNetwork.com, back in 2023. “An idea of timeless fashion made by craftsmen”.
Lastly, British designer Patrick Taylor of Parsons School of Design, who is headquartered in New York, received the Graduate Prize for his knitwear line.
The FTUS 2025 Awards are sponsored by Google Shopping, which grants all winners access to a Google mentorship program developed in collaboration with FTUS. This program supports and elevates up-and-coming talent in American design by providing professional advice on important facets of the fashion and retail industries.
Since 2011, the FTUS awards have recognized up-and-coming British designers. In 2018, the program was expanded to Saudi Arabia, and in 2022, it was expanded to the US. Fashion Trust U.S. was founded to offer grants and strategic coaching to American designers in order to boost their businesses and finances.
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