YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Awards
What an honor to receive this year’s YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Earlier this month, I was given the award at the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund’s 82nd Annual Awards Gala. The FSF is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting education and career placement in the fashion arts and business. Fellow honorees included Hal Lawton, Macy’s President, who received the “Retailer of the Year” award, and television celebrity, Ryan Seacrest, who received the “Style Icon of the Year” award. 1500 alumni, industry executives, designer and other business luminaries were in attendance - it was a wonderful event for all.
Here are some excerpts from my speech:
"I often wonder what my life would be like minus the really good stuff I've learned - first in the excellent Nutley, New Jersey public school system, and then at Barnard College, where we were taught that education is a continuing reconstruction of experience and that the process and the goal of education are one and the same."
"I was a curious learner - I read many books a week and was rewarded by my parents, but only if I also accomplished all of my chores - gardening, sewing, and ironing my dad's linen dress shirts... My interest in anything and everything home oriented developed - and I read about design and decoration and developed good taste in all things domestic."
"I ran a catering business, published my first book, "Entertaining", finding a niche that needed filling and providing my audience with facts and ideas and recipes I knew they wanted and needed - why? Because I was that woman - I needed what I was offering... It was at the urging of one of our newest partners, QVC, that I embarked onto our newest category of design - fashion. And again I applied my democratic approach to this unique form of design - clothes have to be well-made, they have to fit, they have to serve a purpose, they have to feel good and they have to last - no throwaway fashion for me. And above all, they have to be beautiful... Never stop learning, never give up being educated, never stop reading, looking and trying."
Enjoy these photos.
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- The event was held at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel. Everything appeared bedazzled for the evening festivities.
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- Guests gathered inside the Hilton’s Grand Ballroom, which is more than 27-thousand square feet. The center tables were designated for students, while industry guests and leaders sat at round tables surrounding them.
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- Here is one of our tables – 20 colleagues and friends attended the event with me.
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- The Fashion Scholarship Fund looks to advance the fashion industry by encouraging gifted and enterprising young people to pursue careers in design, merchandising, retailing and business. This helps to ensure the industry will continue to attract dedicated, capable and creative individuals. https://www.ymafsf.org/
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- The evening started with a walk on the red carpet in front of the step-and-repeat banner. Here I am as I arrived at the Hilton. Many press attendees were also there. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- And here is fellow honoree, television show host, radio personality, and producer, Ryan Seacrest. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- Here is the Grand Ballroom as everyone filled the tables. All proceeds from the event benefit the Fashion Scholarship Fund.
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- It was great to see students seated at the Gala – many of us had the chance to speak with them and to hear how passionate and how enthusiastic they are about their studies and about the industry.
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- Here I am with a few Sequential Brands Group colleagues – Lindsey Groginski, Akira Yoshimura, Arta Isovski, and Lucy Jackson.
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- And another photo with food development director, Thomas Joseph, my makeup artist, Daisy Schwartzberg Toye, and my longtime publicist, Susan Magrino.
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- For dinner, we started with this Little Gem Lettuce salad with fregula pasta, feta cheese, roasted grapes, and fried rosemary vinaigrette.
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- Our entree was a roasted chicken dish with roasted apple-sage pancake, sauteed broccollini and an aged balsamic vinaigrette.
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- And dessert was an apple tartin with a caramelized apple on a puff ring with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
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- Here I am joined by Rachel Shechtman, founder of the Story store, a New York City retail concept that takes the point of view of a magazine, changes like a gallery and sells things like a store. Go to the web site to learn more about this innovative Chelsea area shop. https://thisisstory.com/
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- 200 students were celebrated along with the finalists and scholarship recipients – here is a group photo of the students on stage. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund )
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- Iowa State student, Jennifer Junker, was one of two scholarship award winners. Here she is on stage talking about her future goals and aspirations. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- SCAD, Savannah College of Art and Design, student, Isabella Mendez, was the other winner. Both Isabella and Jennifer won 35-thousand dollars each.(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- “Style Icon of the Year” went to Ryan. Here he is addressing the audience saying his involvement in the fashion business was “driven by business opportunity and a long-time fascination with fashion. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- Here is President of Macy’s, Hal Lawton, as he accepts his award for “Retailer of the Year”. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- FSF Alumnus, Geraldine Cheung, introduced me and presented me with the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
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- I was so honored to receive the award. During my speech, I spoke about my multidimensional career as a style-maker, designer, television host, author, Wall Street executive and as a model. I told the students to “stoke [your] curiosity, absorb technology and take calculated risks – but never foolish chances.
![I was so honored to receive the award. During my speech, I spoke about my multidimensional career as a style-maker, designer, television host, author, Wall Street executive and as a model. I told the students to "stoke [your] curiosity, absorb technology and take calculated risks - but never foolish chances.](https://static.themarthablog.com/2019/01/IMG_2496-e1548064173924.jpg)
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- Here I am with Geraldine after accepting the Award. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic for New York Times, Vanessa Friedman, also spoke and addressed the audience. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- And here is managing director of Christie’s, Lydia Fenet. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- Here is a group photo of the eight finalists. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- Ryan and I stopped to pose for this fun picture. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fashion Scholarship Fund)
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- It was a terrific night – everyone had such an enjoyable time, especially the students. The evening benefit raised more than 3.5 million dollars for the Fund. Please go to the web site to learn more about its scholarships, mentorships, and other inspirational programs. https://www.ymafsf.org/
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