The Council of Fashion Designers of America Vogue Fashion Fund is a prestigious award that recipients, Thakoon, Philip Lim, Alexander Wang, and Rodarte, among other countless fashion geniuses are familiar with. A recent announcement tallied these few as finalists for this year: Sophia Theallet, House of Waris, Ohne Titel, Wayne, Esquivel Shoes, Spurr, Patrik Ervell, Alabama Chanin and Monique Pean. In its sixth glorious year the CFDA serves as the building force behind American designers in the very cut-throat fashion industry.

Vogue’s infamous editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s response to the recent finalists, “We had a very strong applicant pool this year, particularly among the jewelers. The ten finalists we selected are a talented, diverse group, who are building healthy independent businesses in challenging times.”

What does the winner receive? The lucky chosen one gets an industry insider mentor and $200,000. The two runners-up get $50,000 and partake in ceremonies come November 16^th, 2009. Stay tuned to see who takes first prize …yet witnessing how any association with the CFDA is from past designers, being a nominee alone is being a winner.

Image: Thakoon S/S 2010, courtesy Style.com.

- Arushi Khosla