If you’ve ever wondered why exactly the Council of Fashion Designers of America matters, you’re not alone. Marc Jacobs has, too. He spoke recently at the WWD CEO Summit:
“There’s now the CFDA fund, which I know is set to help young people. I had a big issue with the CFDA back in my Perry Ellis days, because I really didn’t see what they were doing for the designers. I went to a meeting, and Ralph [Lauren] was there and Donna [Karan] was there, and everyone thought they should be the one to choose the best photographer of the year. I just felt this is not for me. I just didn’t want to be part of their reindeer games. And I didn’t feel part of this self-congratulatory American fashion industry thing. I didn’t mind if they wanted to do it; I just didn’t find it that interesting. But maybe in some way it gives people encouragement,” he said.
He wouldn’t go to the annual CFDA Awards if he didn’t have to.
“My team and I, we’ve gone to the CFDA awards year after year after year, and we always feel we’ve done the best collection. That’s not to say there aren’t other great collections….I don’t believe in these prizes. I don’t watch the Academy Awards or the Emmys or the Tonys. I only go to the CFDAs because if I don’t go, Anna Wintour calls up and says, ‘You have to go because you’re part of the American fashion industry, da da da da da,’ and you can’t say no to her. So you sit through this thing as everyone tells you you’re going to get it, and then you don’t get it, and then everyone tells you it should have been you. You’re like, whatever. You go home empty handed one more time, and it’s fine. We have nine of them,” including from years when they were perhaps not as well deserved, he said.
That’s how we feel every time Britney Spears has a new video or talk-show performance. It’s always hyped to death and then it comes, and she’s just standing there moving her arms like her agility has completely escaped her. But it’s kind of okay, because she has a slew of hits and sexy videos behind her.
