CFDA Awards

Francisco Costa, who took over the reins of Calvin Klein three years ago, was named Womenswear Designer of the Year at the CFDA awards last night. Arriving with Scarlett Johansson at the glittering ceremony held at New York's Public Library, Costa said he was unfazed by being nominated up against Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler's Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough. "I'm not nervous," he told reporters. "I'm very excited. I just want to have a good time and fun tonight." The presentation was hosted by actor Jeremy Piven, who delighted the audience with his signature liveliness and sense of humor. He shared the stage with presenters Harry Connick, Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Alicia Keys, Jessica Lange, Karl Lagerfeld, Lindsay Lohan, John Legend and Bernadette Peters. A roster of the most influential names in American fashion design were joined by celebrity guests Amanda Bynes, P. Diddy, Terence Howard, Janet Jackson, Heidi Klum, Sandra Oh, Rihanna, Chloe Sevigny, Jessica Simpson, Kerry Washington.

Michael Kors, who lost out in the accessories category to Tom Binns, was feeling the heat, however. "I'm nervous," admitted the designer, who arrived with actress Kerry Washington. "The lights are so bright you can't even see the audience." Other winners last night included Thom Browne as Menswear Designer of the Year and Olivier Theyskens as International Designer of the Year, while the Perry Ellis awards for up-and-coming talent went to Doo-Ri Chung for womenswear, the Trovata team (Jeff Halmos, Josia Lamberto-Egan, Sam Shipley and John Whitledge), for mensweranar and Devi Kroell for accessories. As well as a roll call of all the world's most respected designers, including last year's Womenswear winner, Vera Wang, Diane Von Furstenberg and Donna Karan, the event gave plenty of celebrities a chance to show off their style. Lindsay Lohan arrived with Karl Lagerfeld to present Binns with his award, Harry Connick Jr presented Browne with his, and Janet Jackson, Jessica Simpson and Chloe Sevigny (who arrived with the Proenza Schouler boys), all upped the glamour factor. It was Tommy Hilfiger, however, who really got the flashbulbs popping. With the fashion world still gossiping about his fight with Guns 'n' Roses frontman Axl Rose two weeks ago, the designer turned up wearing a T-shirt featuring the band's logo.

For the first time, this year's celebration incorporated "Upstairs at the Library Hosted by Swarovski" a lounge-like space from which a larger group of fashion designers, editors and other industry supporters watched a live simulcast of the awards and listened to music by DJ Cassidy. The sold-out event featured a committee that included designers Nak Armstrong and Anthony Camargo of Anthony Nak, Dean Harris, Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene of Libertine, Derek Lam, Jane Mayle, Rafe Totengco; editors Brian Coats of GQ, Treena Lombardo of W, Sylvana Soto-Ward of Vogue; models Gabriel Aubry and Mariacarla Boscono; and fashionable women Lauren Davis, Allison Sarofim and Victoria Traina.