CFDA Fashion Awards: Ralph Lauren takes menswear prize as Steven Kolb resigns after PETA clash

The 45th CFDA Fashion Awards were held on Monday, 2 November, at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, the night before the midterm elections. Keke Palmer hosted the ceremony, and actors, models and designers walked the red carpet beforehand. Anthony Vaccarello was named International Designer of the Year for his work at Saint Laurent, while the evening also drew attention to the exit of Steven Kolb, the former chief executive of the CFDA.

Winners and presenters

Gap Inc. received the innovation award, which Demi Moore presented to Richard Dickson and Zac Posen. Tory Burch took the positive change award, and Ralph Lauren received the menswear designer award for the third time. Rachel Scott was honoured as best women's designer, while Laufey presented the media award to Eva Chen. Cornelia Guest handed the fashion icon award to the architect Peter Marino.

Politics on stage

Wintour, the global editorial director of Vogue and chief content officer of Condé Nast, presented the positive change award to Tory Burch. Before presenting it, she disclosed that she had attended a fundraising event for James Talarico, the Democratic Senate nominee in Texas, and that Burch had been there too. Wintour then told the room:

“Let's hope all of Texas feels the way you do.”

Anna Wintour was the only presenter who addressed politics from the stage. Most other presenters and winners stayed away from the subject, including Demi Moore, Laufey and Cornelia Guest.

Kolb's resignation

Steven Kolb resigned at the end of New York Fashion Week after he was involved in a physical altercation with PETA protesters who had stormed the runway of the Cos show. The organisation had not yet named a replacement or outlined any plans for its future. Presenters and winners also left that subject alone on stage. The matter was discussed quietly at tables in the room during the ceremony, though it was not raised from the stage.

Red carpet looks

Guests walked the red carpet in looks from many of the night's winners. Demi Moore wore a denim dress from GapStudio by Zac Posen, with a corseted bodice, many buttons and a front-slit skirt with a train. Hailey Bieber chose a gold Saint Laurent set with floral detailing, and Zoë Kravitz wore a gold Saint Laurent dress with a backless design. Pamela Anderson wore a black Carolina Herrera design with a feathered halter neckline. Bad Gyal wore a Marc Jacobs look that combined a white sweater decorated with pearls and a sheer skirt. Keke Palmer wore only vintage pieces, including a gold Bob Mackie gown once worn by Raquel Welch and a Stephen Burrows look, and she did not discuss her film I Love Boosters, which takes aim at unscrupulous fashion designers and their production methods.