Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia wins ‘Oscars of fashion’

Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia is adding another international prize to his growing collection, receiving the prestigious award referred to as the ‘Oscars of Fashion’.

Last night Gvasalia took home the ‘International Award’ for his work at Balenciaga and Vetements at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards.

Vetements and Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia accepts CFDA's 2017 ‘International Award’, bestowed upon a designer based outside of the United States,” read the press-release of the CFDA awards.

Gvasalia was introduced by model Alek Wek, who said she came out of retirement to work with Gvasalia.

Last fall my agent called me to tell me about this new young designer who wanted to meet me. His name was Demna Gvasalia and he was casting his show for Balenciaga. I googled him to learn about the full story of that man. I absolutely loved that name and how he came to be the creative director of Balenciaga,” said Wek.

Alek Wek congdatulated Demna Gvasalia on the prestigious award. Photo: Demna Gvasalia Daily/Facebook.

I discovered that Demna had grown up in a war-torn Soviet Georgia. Coming from South Sudan I know about revolution. He escaped too, leaving everything behind to start a new life. I told my agent that I had to meet this guy. As a woman I really feel that he cares about you as an individual. In many ways the clothe Demna designs of very much like the sensitive and visionary person he is. Working with Demna inspired me to come back into fashion,” she added.

Dressed in Balenciaga Wek handed the award to Gvasalia, who also delivered his speech at the event.

For as long as I remember I loved clothe, dressing, trying out looks, changing them constantly. As a child I did not know that there was such a profession as fashion designer. I would dreamt for become the one for sure. I could never do this job without such a fascination of how clothe can change us and how we can use them as powerful tools of communication and self-expression. My hope is that we can continue to move fashion forward by acknowledging the importance the human factor,” said Gvasalia.

He thanked his brother Guram Gvasalia "for your dedication and strength” and for believing in Demna. He also thanks his team for "what we do together”. He thanked the CFDA for recognizing his work by giving him this award "which I am dedicating to my late grandmother who always believed in me unconditionally”.

Following the awards ceremony, fashion model, Bella Hadid twitted:

Raf, Demna, Rick and Virgil. My idols in the flesh

— Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) June 6, 2017

Bringing together over 500 prominent American designers, the CFDA hosts its annual Fashion Awards in addition to organising New York Fashion Week: Men’s.

Founded in 1962, the CFDA’s board of directors features celebrated industry professionals including Michael Kors and Vera Wang.

Demna Gvasalia has been under the global fashion spotlight since his appointment as the creative director of Paris-based fashion house Balenciaga in 2015.