Who What Wear - CFDA Fashion Awards

 While celebrity street style always inspires us to go from one day to the next in on-trend ensembles, your Who What Wear editors can't help but go ga-ga for a good gala. After all, we're magpies for a touch of sparkle and can be serious geeks for glitz, hence our excitement about the annual CFDA Fashion Awards! The ceremony, which took place on Monday night at Lincoln Center, is always a must-attend event and invariably attracts the leaders of the fashion pack wearing boldly beautiful looks. But before we get to the fabulous frocks and, ahem, killer pantsuit, a little background on this illustrious event!


Every year, The Council of Fashion Designers of America honors the top names in fashion in a variety of categories, and this year's accolades went to tastemakers we truly could not live without. Michael Kors pocketed the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, Marc Jacobs claimed his ninth Womenswear Designer of the Year statue, Alexis Bittar took home the title of Accessory Designer of the Year, Jason Wu won the Swarovski Award for Womenswear, and hometown favorite Alexander Wang snagged the Swarovski Award for Accessory Design. And while Ralph Lauren may have won the CFDA's popular vote, it's the eleven attendees we present you with today who were cause for our personal sartorial celebration. These ladies not only brought style in spades, often opting for a cool palette of black and white or a bold pop of pattern, but they also instantly intrigued us with their unfussy looks. The simplicity of their red-carpet outfits remind us that looking chic is all about the harmony of a few well-chosen accessories highlighting the construction of a well-made piece. Which is—when the last champagne flute has been emptied and the last Choo surreptitiously slipped off—what a soiree honoring fashion should be all about!—Liza Kaplan

1. Ashley Olsen, Sasha Pivovarova, and Mary-Kate Olsen
AO: The Row; Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry; SP: The Row; MO: The Row; Fred Leighton jewelry.

2. Liya Kebede
Proenza Schouler custom-made dress; Proenza Schouler shoes and clutch from F/W 10 collection.

3. Jessica Biel
Diane von Furstenberg dress; Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 10 shoes; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

4. Whitney Port
David Meister custom-made gown; Giuseppe Zanotti sandals; Jimmy Choo clutch; Bulgari jewelry; Kimberly McDonald ring.

5. Devon Aoki
Zac Posen gown from pre-fall 2010 Collection; Kent Shire Jewelry; Giorgio Armani clutch.

6. Dree Hemingway
Calvin Klein Collection jacket, tank, pants, and clutch from the S/S 10 collection; Calvin Klein Collection sandals from the F/W 10 collection.

7. Alexa Chung
Marc Jacobs dress, shoes and clutch from the F/W 10 collection; Atelier Swarovski jewelry.

8. Lara Stone
Calvin Klein Collection custom-made dress, heels, and clutch; Fred Leighton jewelry.

9. Hana Soukupova
Marchesa dress; Judith Leiber clutch; Christian Louboutin shoes.