Diotima’s Rachel Scott Wins American Womenswear Designer of the Year at 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards

Rachel Scott for Diotima won American Womenswear Designer of the Year at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards, presented by Amazon Fashion, on Monday night. Tony, Emmy and Grammy award winner and Academy Award-nominated actress and songwriter Cynthia Erivo served as host of the evening’s cocktail, dinner and awards ceremony held at the American Museum of Natural History.

Scott was nominated alongside industry veterans Marc Jacobs, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler, Thom Browne and Tory Burch, and was presented the award by actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

Last year, Scott took home the CFDA Awards’ Shop With Google American Emerging Designer of the Year award after launching her womenswear label just three years ago. Since Diotima’s inception, the Jamaican American designer has gained a strong and steady following for her authentic, inclusive and nuanced vision of Caribbean style through tailoring, knit dressing and sportswear with artisanal, handcrafted details, worn by Angel Reese, Ayesha Curry, Aurora James and more.

Taking home the American Menswear Designer of the Year prize, presented by Troye Sivan, was Willy Chavarria for the second consecutive year, beating out Mike Amiri for Amiri, Emily Adams Bode Aujla for Bode, Thom Browne and Todd Snyder.

The Mexican American designer worked at a number of brands including Calvin Klein before launching his own label in 2015. He has continued to gain momentum for oversize garments and sharp tailoring led by his distinct vision of menswear that celebrates Latino heritage and influence on fashion.

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie presented Raul Lopez the American Accessory Designer of the Year award for his Brooklyn-based label Luar. Lopez previously won the category in 2022 for his designs and this year edged out nominees Ana Khouri, Stuart Vevers for Coach, Catherine Holstein for Khaite and Tory Burch.

Since 2011, the Dominican American designer and New York native has been building a brand legacy through his mix of high fashion and street style, drawing Madonna and Beyoncé to his New York Fashion Week shows.

The 2024 Shop With Google American Emerging Designer of the Year award, presented by Molly Gordon and designer Brandon Maxwell, was given to Henry Zankov for Zankov.

The New York-based, Russian-born American designer launched Zankov, his namesake, exuberant men’s and women’s knitwear label in 2020, and was up against Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell of Tanner Fletcher, Jackson Wiederhoeft for Wiederhoeft, Connor McKnight and Presley Oldham on Monday night.

Both Zankov and Scott were named runners-up for the 2023 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, making the leap in just a year to top awards.

Other honors were awarded to Erykah Badu as Fashion Icon, presented by André 3000; Annie Leibovitz, who received the Media Award in honor of Eugenia Sheppard from presenter Anna Wintour; and Michael Kors, who received the Positive Change Award from presenter Blake Lively. The late designer Isabel Toledo was honored with the Board of Directors Tribute Award, presented by Molly Ringwald and accepted by Ruben Toledo. Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli was named International Designer of the Year, presented by Amy Griffin; Hamish Bowles was awarded the Founder’s Award in Honor of Eleanor Lambert, presented by Marc Jacobs; Stephen Burrows received the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement award from Donna Karan and Todd Oldham, and Coachtopia, accepted by Stuart Vevers (from presenters Charles Melton and Kelsea Ballerini) was given the Innovation Award, presented by Amazon Fashion.