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Dubbed the “Oscars of Fashion,” the 2023 CFDA Awards red carpet was a showcase for Black style icons.
The phrase “icon” is arguably overused these days, but when it comes to bridging the worlds of sports and fashion, tennis legend Serena Williams has earned her accolades. The serial Grand Slam champion has long been a fashion lover, bringing spicy (and occasionally controversial) ensembles to courts worldwide as well as launching her own label, S by Serena. On Monday night, her game-changing impact was recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as Williams was honored as the CFDA’s 2023 Fashion Icon.
The CFDA’s new chairman, Thom Browne, dressed Williams for this year’s CFDA Awards, outfitting her in a curve-hugging, black sequined gown with a striped ribbon-corsetted back, paired with jewels from David Yurman and a coordinating balloon-sleeved cloak. On the step-and-repeat at New York City’s Museum of Natural History, Williams joined fellow celebs Mary J. Blige, Quinta Brunson, LaKeith Stanfield, and many of the fashion industry’s finest for what many have dubbed the “Oscars of Fashion,” sponsored by Amazon Fashion for the second year in a row.
Among this year’s nominees, there were only three Black designers — Christopher John Rogers (2021 American Womenswear Designer of the Year), Raul Lopez of Luar (2022 American Accessory Designer of the Year), and Brandon Blackwood (2022 nominee for American Accessory Designer of the Year) — none of whom walked away with awards this year. Nevertheless, there was one big win: Jamaican-born designer Rachel Scott, designer of Diotima and runner-up for this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award, took home the Shop With Google American Emerging Designer of the Year award, a hopeful nod to what’s next for an industry that has remained slow to recognize and support Black female designers. With recognition for Williams and Scott as well as previous CFDA nominee Aurora James, supermodel turned sustainable fashion entrepreneur Liya Kebede (Lemlem), Studio 189 co-founders Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, and CFDA President CaSandra Diggs on hand Monday night, that tide is hopefully turning.
Then, there were the trends, a must-see for any fashion-fueled event. While Spring-Summer 2024 collections recently took their stroll down the runways during Fall Fashion Month, several trends also emerged on the 2023 CFDA Awards red carpet, including a heavy emphasis on suit-inspired eveningwear, black-and-white palettes, oversized floral details, reconstructed denim and deconstructed knitwear, and statement handbags — in feathered, beaded, and miniature variations — worn by all genders. Who wore it best? Check out our 2023 CFDA Awards gallery below.
Serena Williams attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Serena Williams, Fashion Icon Award winner, attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Mary J. Blige attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Lori Harvey attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Ariana DeBose attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Quinta Brunson attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Teyana Taylor attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Rosario Dawson attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Law Roach attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Bethann Hardison attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
La La Anthony attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Ayo Edebiri attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
LaKeith Stanfield attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Ziwe attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Saweetie attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
(Left to right) Ayesha Curry and Aurora James attend the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Alton Mason attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Paloma Elsesser attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Pat Cleveland attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Jordyn Woods attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Hiandra Martinez attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
(Left to right) Stephen Burrows and CaSandra Diggs attend the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Lindsay Peoples attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Sergio Hudson attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Raul Lopez attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
June Ambrose attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Richie Shazam attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
LaKeith Stanfield and Rosario Dawson attend the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Tyler Mitchell attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Winnie Harlow attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Rauw Alejandro attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Jeremy O. Harris attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
LaQuan Smith attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
June Ambrose attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Liya Kebede attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Westside Gunn attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Lil Yachty attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
(Left to right) Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah attend the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Tokischa attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Maxwell Osborne attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
(Left to right) Azeeza Khan, CaSandra Diggs, and Jordyn Woods attend the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Christopher John Rogers attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Wisdom Kaye attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Sophie Wilde attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Aleali May attends the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
(Left to right) Kai Newman and designer Rachel Scott attend the 2023 CFDA Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
Serena Williams attends the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 6, 2023, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
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