Newly-installed CFDA chairman Tom Ford is wasting no time making his mark on the organization. Today the New York-based fashion organization announced four new board members: Off-White designer Virgil Abloh, Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, Cushnie designer Carly Cushnie and Maria Cornejo of Zero + Maria Cornejo.
In a press statement explaining the appointments, Ford said, ” I’m rearranging the board so that it is more diverse in age and more diverse in every way. Lots of people voiced a concern that the board, and the CFDA, was not diverse enough,” and should more accurately reflect the changing industry and greater culture.”
Choosing to maintain a total of 19 board members, the shift also included the demotion of four board members to emeritus status. Marchesa designer and wife of Harvey Weinstein, Georgina Chapman, was among the four demoted. Marchesa as a label has lost considerable status since Weinstein was accused of multiple instances of sexual abuse, all of which culminated in an arrest in May of last year.
Occasional jewelry designer Kara Ross also lost her board seat. Ross is the wife of billionaire Stephen Ross, who caused a stir when he held a fundraiser for Donald Trump in his Long Island home last month. The fundraiser led to the boycott of companies Ross controls including Soul Cycle and Equinox.
Providing some cover for Ross, Ford stated, “Kara is going to be leaving the board. However, this has absolutely nothing to do with her political views or her [husband’s] fundraiser for Trump. This was planned months ago when I decided to work with Steven and everyone at the CFDA to broaden the board.”
