November 10, 2010 ? Lexus and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) have collaborated to celebrate and support sustainable fashion design by establishing the Eco Fashion Challenge. With a goal of increasing sustainable practices in the fashion industry, Lexus and the CFDA have created the Challenge as a platform to support and recognize the industry?s leaders in sustainable design.

 

From ten finalists, three designers have been selected to receive support from Lexus for their Fall 2011 show or presentation in February 2011. The three receiving the Eco Fashion Challenge crown are:

 

Monique Péan
Costello Tagliapietra
Maria Cornejo

 

?It was hard to select only three winners from the ten amazing finalists,? says Andrea Lim, Lexus events marketing manager. ?Lexus is proud to support the efforts of the selected designers as they work to bring sustainability into the fashion industry.?

 

The ten finalists included Alabama Chanin, Behnaz Sarafpour, Costello Tagliapietra, Libertine by Johnson Hartig, Marcia Patmos, Maria Cornejo, Monique Péan, Organic by John Patrick, Slow and Steady Wins the Race by Mary Ping, Subversive Jewelry by Justin Giunta.

 

To qualify as a finalist, each designer had to demonstrate a commitment to ecologically responsible design and production practices, with a minimum of 25% of their collection being produced in an environmentally friendly manner. The judges selected the three honorees based on design credibility, business acumen, and eco-commitment, with attention paid to eco fabrics, materials, processes, and packaging.

 

?The CFDA is thrilled with the response from designers to this Challenge,? said Steven Kolb, CFDA executive director. ?The proposals that the ten finalists submitted were truly thoughtful and creative. We look forward to seeing the collections of the winning three designers.?

 

The honorees were announced at the Eco Fashion Challenge event on November 9, 2010 at Skylight West in NYC, a newly renovated event space located steps from Midtown, which provided the perfect venue to celebrate fashion, design, and sustainability.

 

About Lexus
Lexus is the leading luxury automaker in the United States.  With its reputation for high-quality products and exemplary customer service from its 228 dealers, Lexus has been the top-selling luxury automaker for ten years in a row.  In addition, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader with five hybrid vehicles that provide the best in innovative technology and first-class luxury.  When Lexus was established in 1989, it offered two models of vehicles.  Now, more than 20 years later, Lexus offers variations of 11 vehicles, from the entry-level IS 250 to its first V10 supercar, the LFA.

 

About the CFDA
The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc, (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 370 of America?s foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers. In addition to hosting the annual CFDA Fashion Awards, which recognize the top creative talent in the industry, the organization offers programs which support professional development and scholarships, including the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholar Award, the Liz Claiborne Scholarship Award, and the CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship. Member support is provided through the Business Services Network, a high-profile group of companies offering designers strategic opportunities. The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate, not-for-profit organized to mobilize the membership to raise funds for charitable causes. Through the Foundation, the CFDA created and manages Fashion Targets Breast Cancer; raises funds for HIV/AIDS organizations with 7th on Sale; addresses the issue of model health with The CFDA Health Initiative; and is a key participant in other programs such as the annual Fashion?s Night Out. For more information, please visit www.CFDA.com.

 

For more information:

 

For The CFDA:
Hallie Chrisman     
KCD        
[email protected]    
(212) 590-5118

 

For Lexus Hybrid Living & the Eco Fashion Challenge:
Adryana Cortez
Inform Ventures
[email protected]
(323) 906-0726