The New York Fashion World Attends The Fashion Group International Rising Star Awards in Midtown Manhattan

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 10: Karen Williams, Julie Lamb, Byron Lars, Frederick Anderson, Nancy Volpe Beringer, Nyakio Grieco, Tristan Detwiler, Christian Juul Nielsen, Mimi Prober, Cole Wassner, Betzabe Gonzalez, and Maryanne Grisz attend Fashion Group International Rising Star Awards 2022 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers on May 10, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

New York, 10 May 2022 - On Tuesday, May 10, 2022, an affluent audience attended the 26th annual Fashion Group International (FGI) Rising Star Awards. The Lighthouse at Pier Sixty-One on the Hudson served as the new venue for the red carpet event, where FGI members and executives were joined by some of the biggest names in the New York fashion industry to honour fashion's most outstanding new design stars in womenswear, menswear, accessories, fine jewellery, beauty, and sustainability.

FGI board members, Rising Star nominees, and friends were joined by prominent members of New York society and the fashion scene, such as Vera Wang, Fern Mallis, Robert Verdi, actress Nazanin Boniadi, and Lynn Yaeger, as well as Jean Shafiroff, Gillian Hearst, Robert Verdi, Linda Fargo, Constance White, Lara Eurdeolian of Pretty Connected, Teri Agins, Anna Rothschild, Marcus Teo, Patty Raynes, Sarah Chiwaya of Curvily, and Greivy.

Rebecca Moses, an illustrious artist, author, and designer, delivered the keynote address, while a roster of prominent speakers provided motivational words and presented awards to special award winners and FGI Rising Stars in a variety of categories:

Actress Lisa Arrindell and Tracy Reese co-presented the FGI President's Award for Excellence to Fashion Designer Byron Lars for his company in Ernest.

Gary Wassner awarded Karen Williams, CEO of Savitude, with the Hilldun Business Innovation Award.

Designer Jason Wu presented the Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Wassner Management Group's CEO, Cole Wassner.

Andrea Rosso, Diesel Sustainability Ambassador, awarded Mimi Prober with the Diesel Sustainability Award.

Frederick Anderson was awarded the FGI Rising Star Award in Womenswear by ELLE Editor-in-Chief Nina Garcia.

Kerby Jean-Raymond, an American fashion designer, gave the FGI Rising Star Award in Menswear to Christian Juul Nielsen for AKNVAS.

Julie Lamb received the FGI Rising Star Award for Fine Jewelry from Graff North America President and CEO Marc Hruschka.

Betzabe Gonzalez for Mia Becar received the FGI Rising Star Award for Accessories from stylist and creative director Freddie Leiba.

Kelly Cutrone, a publicist, novelist, and television personality, presented Tristan Detwiler with the FGI Rising Star Award for All Gender on behalf of Stan Lee.

Chief Brand Officer of Hearst Luxury Collections E-Commerce, Ken Downing, awarded the FGI Rising Star Award for New Retail to both Nyakio Grieco and Nancy Volpe Beringer.

Beauty entrepreneur and celebrity makeup artist Keita Moore presented Mantas Butkus with the FGI Rising Star Award in Beauty in absentia.

Maryanne Grisz, President and CEO of the FGI:

"I was profoundly moved by the insightful words of our keynote speaker Rebecca Moses and our presenters: messages of encouragement and wisdom advice on the creative road. Each competitor and winner represented optimism and the future of our business."

The 26th annual design competition is an extension of FGI's goal to connect and assist the fashion diaspora with crucial professional tools and contacts for long-term success. In many instances, the competition provides tastemakers and industry leaders with their first exposure to a brand, since the majority of finalists have been in business for less than six years. Jason Wu, Tory Burch, Joseph Altuzarra, Phillip Lim, Brandon Maxwell, Thom Brown, Bond No. 9, Warby Parker, Dylan Lauren of Dylan's Candy Bar, Jennifer Fleiss and Jennifer Hyman of Rent the Runway, to mention a few, have gone on to achieve widespread recognition and success.

Hearst Magazines, Hilldun Corporation, Diesel, and Pullquest are this year's sponsors.

About FASHION GROUP INTERNATIONAL

Fashion Group International is a professional membership organisation comprised of fashion, beauty, leisure, and retail industry executives from 26 worldwide areas. FGI's mission is to provide our member network with a forum for discussion and connection across all sectors through programming centred on the industry's most current and vital topics, recognition of emerging talent, and trends at the cutting edge of innovation; and to facilitate access to industry leaders by providing a platform for business development and career advancement at all levels.

FGI believes that offering a venue for professional growth and career progress fosters creativity, innovation, and the evolution of the fashion industry.

Learn more at fgi.org.

2022 FGI Rising Star Awards Finalists

MENSWEAR 

Brand:AKNVAS; Finalist: Christian Juul Nielsen Brand: Christopher Lowman; Finalist: Christopher Lowman Brand: Kenneth Nicholson; Finalist: Kenneth Nicholson Brand: TERRY SINGH NYC; Finalist: Terry Singh 

WOMENSWEAR 

Brand: Amir Taghi; Finalist: Amir Taghi Brand: Frederick Anderson; Finalist: Frederick Anderson Brand: Kelsey Randall; Finalist: Kelsey Randall Brand: JUNNY; Finalist Junny Ann Hibbert Brand: Mimi Prober; Finalist: Mimi Prober 

ALL GENDER 

Brand: Deviate; Finalist: Kelsey & Cassidy Tucker Brand: FRIED RICE; Finalist: Maya Wang Brand: Stan; Finalist: Tristan Detwiler Brand: William Frederick; Finalist: William McNicol 

BEAUTY

Brand: Curl Daddy; Finalist: Edwin Borquez Pierrot Brand: Em & El Organics; Finalist: Emily Trower-Young Brand: GlossWire App; Finalist: Kimberly CarneyBrand: Kindra; Finalist: Catherine Balsam-Schwaber Brand: MOÉRIE; Finalist: Mantas Butkus Brand: Raquel Riley Thomas Beauty; Finalist: Raquel Riley Thomas Brand: Sparti Scents; Finalists: Abby Wallach and Caroline Fabrigas

ACCESSORIES 

Brand: BYBBA; Finalist: Pam Seidman Brand: Bentz; Finalists: Melissa & Kim Bentz Brand: Cuddigan Leather; Finalist: Jennifer Rose Smail Brand: Mia Becar; Finalist: Betzabe Gonzalez Brand: Salone Monet; Finalist: Salone Monet 

NEW RETAIL

Brand: ScentFluence; Finalist: Caroline FabrigasBrand: The Vault by Volpe Beringer; Finalist: Nancy Volpe BeringerBrand: thirteen lune; Finalist: Nyakio Grieco 

FINE JEWELRY

Brand: Julie Lamb NY; Finalist: Julie Lamb Brand: Mary Margrill; Finalist: Mary Margrill Brand: Sara Shala Designs; Finalist: Sara Shala