The 30th anniversary of Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Awards was a testament to fashion’s enduring cycle of inspiration and guidance. As supermodel Coco Rocha noted, every career is built on the belief of others—a principle as true for today’s winners as it was for the pioneers of intimate apparel. The event, held at 583 Park Avenue, gathered industry figures from Nicole Miller to Bibhu Mohapatra, all celebrating the next generation.
This dynamic of mentorship has deep roots in lingerie history. When Mindy Grossman received the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by designer Jeffrey Banks who first hired her at 21, it recalled the pivotal support that shaped brands like Maidenform, founded by Ida Rosenthal who was championed by a retailer. Grossman’s speech, emphasizing purpose over power, mirrored the ethos of innovators like Caresse Crosby, who leveraged her network to patent the modern bra.
Artist Ruben Toledo’s poignant tribute to his late wife, designer Isabel Toledo, underscored how creative legacy is woven through community. His advice to the rising stars—to know their peers—reflects the collaborative salons where lingerie design once flourished. As awards were given across categories, from jewelry to eveningwear, the afternoon served as a reminder that while hemlines change, the essential architecture of fashion progress relies on the same foundations: talent recognized, relationships nurtured, and a shared belief in what comes next.
Originally reported by WWD