Vogue's Anna Wintour co-hosts 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund dinner in New York
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The gist
Vogue editor Anna Wintour co-hosted the dinner where Zane Li of LII won the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.
The fund backs emerging designers, and its winners signal who fashion's establishment is elevating.
Background
Anna Wintour is the longtime Vogue editor and one of the fashion industry's defining figures; she is also a host of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund dinner and honorary chairperson of the God's Love We Deliver gala. The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund is a design competition that honored ten finalists this year, awarding $300,000 to the winner and $100,000 to each of two runners-up along with business mentorships. The dinner drew attention as the point where this year's winner was revealed.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026Wintour attended the 2026 Golden Heart Awards benefiting God's Love We Deliver at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City, alongside Michael Kors, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Terrence Meck, Andrew Scott and Misty Copeland.
- Oct 20, 2026Zane Li of LII was named winner of the 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, with Aisling Camps and Emily Dawn Long as runners-up, at a dinner hosted by Tory Burch, Thom Browne, Chloe Malle and Anna Wintour at the Crane Club in New York City.
- Oct 23, 2026A report profiled Wintour's eldest child, Dr Charles Shaffer, who trained in medicine and treated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- CFDA Chairman Thom Browne said the Fashion Fund is a reminder of why the industry must keep championing original voices and true creativity, and that each finalist brings a distinct point of view.
- Official
- Chloe Malle, Head of Editorial Content at American Vogue, said the finalists' materials range from silk made of orange peels to materials inspired by prehistoric dinosaurs, and that she is thrilled to celebrate the winners.
Still unverified
The account that Kanye West called Wintour to secure Kim Kardashian's 2013 Met Gala spot is attributed to The Cut and Jonathan Van Meter's upcoming book; Kardashian was never formally invited, only signed off as West's guest.