2025 Winners

Honorary Award

Anthony Vaccarello

Saint Laurent

Ready-to-Wear Award

DIOTIMA

Rachel Scott

Designer Rachel Scott (b. 1984, Jamaica) comes to fashion through language. Drawing on her background in French existentialism and post-structuralism, Scott’s interest in fashion began with an awareness of language's connection to culture and creativity. In an effort to stay close to ‘the things themselves,’ Scott looked to fashion design as a moment of intellectual, aesthetic, and corporeal unity to be explored.

Having worked at all levels of the design process—from designer to executive to consultant—throughout her 16-year career in Milan and NYC, Scott brings vast technical and creative knowledge to Diotima. Foundational experiences at Costume National in Italy laid the groundwork for an approach to fashion rooted in a reverence for craft, construction, and fine materials—and her design sensibility as a Jamaican grounds her work in the concrete intersection of the historical, political, and the aesthetic.

Jewelry Award

BECK

Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz

Born in Venezuela and raised in Curaçao, designer Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz's artistic vision is deeply rooted in her Caribbean heritage. From an early age, her passion for ocean exploration and conservation, combined with a profound respect for noble metals and the energies of precious stones, guided her creative journey. After completing her fashion studies and an apprenticeship with the Carolina Herrera design team in New York, Zeijdel-Paz returned to Curaçao to develop her jewelry designs. In 2021, she unveiled the evolution of Beck into fine jewelry, introducing a collection that harmoniously blends over a decade of design life in New York with her island roots. Her unique pieces are now available at renowned retailers such as Twist, Elyse Walker, Muse, The Seven, Trove, Goop, among others both nationwide and internationally.

Embodying a laid-back Caribbean elegance, Beck is a fine jewelry tribute to a life spent by the sea. A series of high jewelry creations that envelop the shades of blue and rhythmic textures of ocean waves — each unique piece carries this spirit within.

Accessories Award

Clyde

Dani Griffiths

Clyde is a New York City-based label designed by Vancouver native Dani Griffiths. After moving to the cityin 2008, Dani exercised her aptitude for fashion as a buyer and merchandiser while cultivating the roots ofClyde. The collection began as a range of hats that are blocked by hand in New York, and has steadily evolved to include gloves sewn by a family owned legacy company in Italy, fabric and leather hats sewn with intentionality in Manhattan and Los Angeles, and bags made in an artisanal NewJersey workshop.Sharp yet classic and smartly cultivated, Clyde has caught the attention of distinguished publications such asVogue, WWD, Harpers Bazaar, The New York Times,T Magazine, WSJ, BOF and more.Some of Clyde’s devoted following include Hailey Beiber, Addison Rae, Kylie Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Renell Medrano, Tessa Thompson, Maggie Gylenhall, Chloe Sevigny, Prince and Zendaya. The collection possesses a sculptural beauty while maintaining a straightforward wearability–this balance perfected by hand finishes and considered designs that are reworked season after season.Inclusivity and ethics are firmly rooted in the world of Clyde, which employs mostly female owned producers and tailors, and believes that there should be space for every age, gender, and ethnicity to feel comfortable and embraced in the world of high fashion.Clyde aspires to not only be a part of the wearer’s story but to help tell it by encouraging individual experiences that can, in turn, impart personal meaning to each and every piece.

Graduate Award

Patrick Taylor

Patrick is a knitwear designer from London, currently living in New York. His all-knitwear collection titled "No Easy Way Down," reflects the duality of childhood, exploring the intensity and resilience found in family sports. Focusing on skiing and sailing, Patrick contrasts the competitive and intense nature of the sports with the fun and freedom that they can bring.

This collection offers a nostalgic nod to childhood, blending athleticism with adventure, brought to life through soft textured knits, playful proportions, and nostalgic hues reminiscent of old family photographs. Colors have a serene muted quality, enhanced by vibrant unexpected bursts of color.

Inspired by memories of vivid red sails contrasting with the muted grey-blue sea and sky, framed by earthy, muddy green hills. Inspired by the entire family, this collection is an invitation to find balance between the serious and the playful, the structured and the free-spirited. Clothing that empowers everyone to embrace life's adventures with a sense of joy and excitement.

Sustainability Award

Kwame Adusei

Kwame Adusei

Originally from Accra, Ghana, Nana Kwame Adusei moved to the U.S. in 2020, bringing with him a distinctive perspective shaped by over a decade of designing bespoke and ready-to-wear pieces for the women of West Africa.

At Kwame Adusei, sustainability is instinctive and non-negotiable. Working with recycled materials offloaded to Ghana from Western countries, Kwame’s innovative approach to design and fabric manipulation quickly earned him recognition in his city. His talent caught the attention of the U.S. Department of State, which selected him to represent Africa in its International Visitor Leadership Program—an opportunity that led him to Los Angeles.

With 17 years of expertise in pattern-making and design, Kwame Adusei has spent the last three years in the U.S. redefining the value of luxury fashion. Establishing a 5,000 sq. ft. atelier in downtown Los Angeles and a flagship boutique in Beverly Hills, he has created a holistic experience centered on impeccable fit, sophisticated cuts, and an inimitable silhouette. Each piece embodies a balance of timeless design, sensuality, and functionality. Kwame’s mastery of garment construction—from concept to completion—has distinguished him in today’s fashion landscape.

Bringing this experience to an international stage, Kwame Adusei debuted in the Parisian market with immersive pop-ups during RTW 2024 and Couture Week 2025. The collections captivated an audience that had long yearned for garments with architectural precision, effortless allure, yet uncompromising in comfort. Forgoing gimmicks, Kwame’s experimental cuts are designed to enhance the wearer’s natural form—flattering, practical, and undeniably refined. This commitment to craftsmanship and innovation defined the success of the Paris showcases, solidifying the brand’s place in the global luxury fashion landscape.