The Council of Fashion Designers of America announced today that its Board of Directors voted to extend Thom Browne’s term as chairman by two years. The designer and famous sportsman will remain American fashion’s head coach through 2026, as ratified by his peers. Additionally, Aurora James and Prabal Gurung, will remain as Board Vice Chairwoman and Vice Chairman, respectively, with Maria Cornejo and Stacey Bendet also confirmed to continue, the former as General Secretary and the latter as Treasurer.
“I am honored to continue serving as Chairman of the CFDA Board,” said Browne in a statement. “Over the past two years, we have focused on fostering creativity and championing the unique voices that define American fashion. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and look forward to building on that work, ensuring the CFDA remains a home for the best in American talent.”
New York Fashion Week and American fashion in general have entered a promising new chapter since Browne took over as chairman. At the recent CFDA Awards, which Browne revamped with a move to the Natural History Museum and a starry lineup of celebrity hosts, the top awards went to Willy Chavarria, Rachel Scott of Diotima, Raul Lopez of Luar, and Henry Zankov—all immigrants or the children of immigrants.
In a late 2022 interview ahead of his first year as CFDA Chairman, Browne had advice for emerging talents: “You can have a good business and have a creative conceptual side. I think you have to, in order for the commercial side to be more important.” Browne has emphasized both all along, consistently underscoring the importance of creativity while embracing all-American pragmatism.
