2010: Billy Reid Wins CFDA/Fashion Fund

6) Billy Reid beats out Joseph Altuzarra & others to win CFDA/Fashion Fund prize of $300,000

In the wake of September 11, 2001, most industries in New York suffered and the fashion industry was severely hurt. Ever the one to stand up and do something about it, Anna Wintour spearheaded a coalition of friends and colleagues to put together the CFDA/Fashion Fund to award up-and-coming designers with money and a mentorship to help their business flourish.

Traditionally, the top prize went to womenswear designers such as the fashion darlings of New York Fashion Week, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler (they were also the first who received the prize in 2004). In a very surprising turnout for the 2010 winner, Billy Reid was announced as the winner, beating out Parisian-turned-New Yorker (and former intern at Marc Jacobs) Joseph Altuzarra and Prabal Gurung, who has dressed Michelle Obama.

This was a giant win not just for Billy Reid, who travels to New York City twice a year to show his eponymous line, but also for menswear. Why? Because it could signal the menswear is finally receiving recognition and support from the general fashion industry and not just the menswear-centric magazines and editors, like GQ. Though how the votes were distributed aren't public, if Anna Wintour did not want Billy Reid to win, she certainly would not have let him win without fighting tooth and nail. In our minds, Billy Reid's win was a nod of approval from Ms. Wintour herself that menswear is no longer a throw-away segment of the industry.

Below are a few select looks from Billy Reid shows from Fall/Winter 2010 to Spring/Summer 2011.