The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund on Monday named 10 finalists for its 2026 edition, with the winner set to receive $300,000 at an October 20 gala in New York. The shortlist, announced June 2, includes avant-garde designer Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong, jewelry house Milamore, and eight additional emerging American labels competing in the program’s 22nd year.
Two runners-up will each receive $100,000. First designer presentations to the selection committee take place June 10 in New York, followed by an evening cocktail at Jean’s hosted by Vogue and CFDA in partnership with Nordstrom. The full CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund 2026 finalists roster spans ready-to-wear, accessories, and fine jewelry.
The 10 Finalists
The 2026 finalists are Aisling Camps; Amir Taghi; Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch TongTong; Emily Dawn Long; Jamie Haller; Julia Ferentinos of Juju Vera; Zane Li of Lll; George Inaki of Milamore; Claire Sullivan of Miss Claire Sullivan; and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen.
Zhou enters the competition with the strongest celebrity-client portfolio in the group. The Parsons graduate, who completed an exchange at Central Saint Martins, founded Bad Binch TongTong in 2021. His surreal, sculptural silhouettes have dressed Kim Kardashian, SZA, Lizzo, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and Eileen Gu. Zhou also took home the Genesis/CFDA 2026 AAPI Design + Innovation Grant earlier this year. His experimental aesthetic shares creative DNA with the work covered in Iris van Herpen’s Sculpting the Senses exhibition at Brooklyn Museum.
Milamore, led by George Inaki, is the lone jewelry house on the list. Its inclusion underscores the fund’s reach beyond apparel, a direction also reflected in CFDA’s separate Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award.
Selection Committee
Designer Thom Browne chairs the 2026 selection committee in his role as CFDA Chairman. He is joined by Brother Vellies founder Aurora James; Bergdorf Goodman fashion director Yumi Shin; Vogue editor Chloe Malle; designer Christopher John Rogers; Bloomingdale’s fashion director Denise Magid; Instagram fashion lead Eva Chen; model Paloma Elsesser; and CFDA CEO Steven Kolb.
The committee reviewed finalists from a pool of open applications that closed April 10. The composition reflects ongoing leadership shifts at the organization, including the recent appointment of Gabriela Hearst and Joseph Altuzarra named to the CFDA board of directors.
Prize Structure and Key Dates
The winning designer will receive $300,000 in business support. Two runners-up will each receive $100,000. Mentorship from established Council of Fashion Designers of America members rounds out the award package.
- June 10, 2026: First designer presentations to the selection committee.
- June 10, 2026 (evening): Celebratory cocktail at Jean’s, hosted by Vogue and CFDA in partnership with Nordstrom.
- October 20, 2026: Winner announced at a dinner gala in New York.
The fall gala lands during a New York fashion season already crowded with high-profile resort presentations, including Zimmermann’s Resort 2027 New York debut.
22 Years of Supporting American Fashion
The CFDA and Vogue launched the Fashion Fund in 2003 in the aftermath of 9/11 to support emerging American designers. The 2026 edition marks the program’s 22nd year.
Over that span, 200 designers have received program support totaling more than $8.2 million, according to CFDA data. The organization reports that 41 percent of alumni brands are women-owned and 40 percent are minority-owned. Bloomingdale’s, Humane World for Animals, Instagram, Nordstrom, and Vogue serve as corporate partners.
“The 2026 finalists reflect the depth of talent and creativity emerging across American fashion today.” — Steven Kolb, CEO and President, CFDA
Past finalists have used the platform to step into major creative director roles, a pipeline most recently illustrated by Henry Zankov’s appointment as DVF’s first artistic director. The fund’s emphasis on independent creative ambition mirrors broader industry initiatives such as Off-White’s 10×10: Icons Reimagined creative series.
While big-house spectacles such as Gucci Cruise 2027 at Times Square and Fendi Cruise 2027 dominate global fashion coverage, the Fashion Fund remains one of the few US programs actively underwriting the next generation of American design. The October 20 winner announcement will close the 2026 cycle.
