TIFFANY HADDISH HOSTED THE FGI RISING STAR AWARDS

Fashion Group International rolled out the red carpet on Wednesday for the 29th annual FGI Rising Star Awards. The red-carpet luncheon and awards ceremony recognized emerging talent across fashion, beauty, accessories, and fine jewelry sectors – with special awards for sustainability, lifetime achievement, and fashion students – each creative forces shaping the industry’s future.

The event was hosted by Emmy, Grammy, and NAACP Image Award-winning actress, performer, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Haddish. Haddish brought her signature wit to the stage in her first appearance at the FGI Rising Star Awards. According to Haddish, “Today, FGI spans 26 regions globally and continues to connect executive-level leaders from fashion, beauty, tech, wellness, you name it…It’s a powerhouse network…Today we celebrate 29 years of the Rising Star Awards honoring emerging talent who are shaping the future of fashion, beauty, and beyond.”

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of the inaugural FGI Lifetime Achievement Award to Robert Chavez, former President and CEO of Hermès Americas (Ret.), who was recently appointed to the board of Macy’s as an Independent Director. Accepting the award, Chavez remarked: “For me, it’s always about people. As I look out, there are so many achievers, dreamers that I see, that have touched my life, and it’s been an amazing journey, a really amazing journey.”

Now in its second year, the Macy’s Future Fashion Award in Fashion Merchandising was presented to Camille Jiang, a standout student from LIM College, who received a $1,000 scholarship to support her continued studies in fashion.

Over nearly three decades, the FGI Rising Star Awards have served as a launchpad for industry leaders such as Tory Burch, Jason Wu, Brandon Maxwell, Phillip Lim, and Rent the Runway Founders Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss. Each year promises the chance for attendees to engage with the next generation of fashion leaders early in their careers, honoring designers, brands, and founders who have been in business from two to six years.

This year’s ceremony drew a stylish crowd of designers, executives, and tastemakers, among them Elie Tahari,  Dennis Basso, Fern Mallis, Gary and Cole Wassner, Cyril Verdavainne, Frederick Anderson, Jonathan Cohen, Ken Downing, James Aguiar, Joanna Coles, Micaela Erlanger, NJ Falk, and many others. During the course of the ceremony, FGI Global CEO and President Maryanne Grisz and Chairperson Alyce Panico delivered remarks celebrating the honorees.

“As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams,'” said Maryanne Grisz, saying: “Our FGI Rising Stars embody that spirit. They are the future of our industry, and we’re honored to celebrate the Class of 2025 as they take the next steps in their creative journeys. Today’s event not only recognizes their achievements, but also connects them with a powerful network of peers, mentors, and industry leaders.”