NEW YORK — Perseverance paid off for Doo-Ri Chung, who received the third annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award Thursday night.
This year’s runners-up — and they share equal standing — were Rodarte’s Laura and Kate Mulleavy and Thakoon Panichgul for Thakoon (for more on Thakoon, see page 12).
In 2004, Chung made a run at the prize but lost to Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough. Her apparent disappointment following that “envelope please” moment was captured in Douglas Keeve’s documentary “Seamless.”
As the 2006 winner, Chung pocketed a $200,000 monetary award to further execute her design plans. The Mulleavys and Panichgul each picked up $50,000. Along with the financial reward, all three parties will meet regularly with a team of business mentors chosen based on the designers’ individual needs for business expertise and resources.
Chung and the runners-up topped a field of finalists that included Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig for Marchesa; Phillip Lim for 3.1 Phillip Lim; Jeffrey Costello and Robert Tagliapietra for Costello Tagliapietra; Milla Jovovich and Carmen Hawk for Jovovich-Hawk; David Neville and Marcus Wainwright for Rag & Bone; Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewelry, and accessories designer Devi Kroell. More than 120 design businesses requested applications this year. Of the 88 that were submitted, half advanced to the second stage before the selection committee whittled down the contestants to 10.
This year’s winners were selected by a nine-person committee that included Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour, CFDA executive director Steven Kolb and Barneys New York vice president and fashion director Julie Gilhart.
This is shaping up to be a memorable year for Chung, who took home the Swarovski Perry Ellis award for emerging women’s wear designer at the CFDA awards in the spring.