On Thursday, September 6, The Daily Front Row presented the 6th annual Fashion Media Awards at the Park Hyatt hotel in New York. Hosted by Emmy-nominated actor and all-around cutie Darren Criss, the event kicked off New York Fashion Week by honoring the best of the best in fashion media, from Irina Shayk and Ashley Graham to Stephen Gan, Mario Sorrenti, and Nina Garcia. (A full list of the winners is available here.)
“Welcome, everybody, to the Daily Front Row’s sixth-annual Fashion Awards,” said host Darren Criss, upon taking the stage. “As I’ve said to many, many, many, many, many ex-girlfriends of mine, I can promise you it will be a pretty good time. And if it’s not, I can guarantee you that it will at least be short.”
Darren Criss (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Gigi Hadid, presenting Cover of the Year to Stephen Gan and Mario Sorrenti for V Magazine, Issue 114
“Mario Sorrenti and Stephen Gan pulled out all the stops for the July issue of V. The longtime collaborators came up with the cover concept inspired by extreme sports, television, and a James Bond heroine.… When Stephen showed me a mock cover backstage at a show last season, my jaw hit the floor. It was my dream cover! But the days we spent shooting cover story were greater than my wildest dreams. You can’t put into words the magic that you felt on set when there is so much passion, excitement, drive, creativity, love, and energy from everyone for each other.… Days and photos like this are why we do what we do.”
Jameson and Hudson Kroenig and Gigi Hadid (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Stephen Gan
“I want to thank Gigi—she’s amazing, she totally rocked it and made the pictures—and Stephen and everybody who was involved in the shoot. Thank you.”
Stephen Gan
“There were so many challenges in putting this cover series together. There were three scenes that Mario Sorrenti and Gigi and I had to accomplish….Shifting dates due to storms all over the country, there were so many calls and e-mails going around for four months that led to one agent talking to my team at V actually saying, ‘I don’t think this shoot is ever going to happen. I think this shoot is jinxed.’ And that lead me to looking a bit sad and pensive…but then Gigi, being her typical self, looked over at me and just went, ‘Pressure is privilege.’ Those are Serena William’s words. That’s Gigi for you. Same today at 23 as when I first met her at 19. Thank you for staying the way you are.”
Morio Sorrenti, Gigi Hadid, Stephen Gan (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Amy Schumer, presenting Fashion Force to Ashley Graham
“…She’s a businesswoman, she wrote a book, she’s a designer…blah, blah, blah. I don’t personally care…She’s the coolest bitch. You guys know that, right? Yeah. She’s changed our whole culture. Like, she actually has, and people are starting to respond, not because all of a sudden you guys became, like, good people…we look like America. I’m not skinny shaming anyone, but I did fall asleep eating a bowl of pasta last night and it felt so good….So, Ashley, she’s personally made me feel better about myself, my body. Her joy is infectious. Her sense of self, her fun…she just makes you excited to be you, and that’s something that she gives all of us, one Instagram story at a time…She’s beautiful, she’s hot, and she makes us question our sexuality.”
Amy Schumer (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Ashley Graham
“Oh, my God, was that not phenomenal or what? I don’t even want to say my speech anymore, but I’m going to. First of all, thank you, Amy, for coming because I know this is your personal hell.… Alright, guys, being in this industry for 18 years as a model and working here, I have a learned a thing or two about a trend. You’re in one season, you’re out the next. And I am so grateful now that season after season, the industry has become even more inclusive. My curves are not a trend, your skin color is not a trend, and your abilities are not a trend. Your culture is not a trend. A force can become a movement, but it requires action and strength from many people. People like all of you. This movement starts in rooms like this and with decision makers like all of you. So I urge all of you—editors, designers, photographers, creative directors—to think inclusively. To continue making historical firsts until the industry truly reflects the diverse world in which we live. Thank you so much and I really appreciate this. Woo!”
Ashley Graham (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Tommy Hilfiger, presenting Fashion Media Personality to Hailey Baldwin
“I’ve known [Hailey] for many years. She started modeling for me when she started modeling, and she’s walked for us for several seasons and now has become a Tommy Hilfiger icon. And she has an impeccable face and incredible style all her own. She’s harnessed the power of social media to create a genuine connection with herself and millions of followers. It’s my honor to present this award to Hailey. We’re both a bit jet-lagged. We just came in from Shanghai where she walked in our show and led the way…. When Gigi’s contract was up after four seasons, we were really thinking in our company about what to do. How do we replace Gigi? And we thought long and hard, but it was right in front of us. She’s in front of us…Hailey, this is your night, and congratulations.”
Tommy Hilfiger (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Hailey Baldwin
“I’m really awkward when it comes to this kind of thing, so I’m going to keep it short and sweet…It’s an honor to be in this room filled with so many amazing people and a lot of familiar faces. I would like to say a very special thank you to Tommy Hilfiger, who has supported me since the very, very beginning of my career and just believed in me and got behind me, which is hard to find in this industry.… I would say he’s the most loyal person I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, so thank you Tommy, and thank you Dee, [0:44], because Dee is awesome.… Everybody that I’ve ever worked with in this industry has had a part in me receiving this award, so thank you so much.”
Hailey Baldwin (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Nicki Minaj, presenting Breakthrough Model of the Year to Winnie Harlow
“I’m very excited to be presenting this award to a young queen in the making.… She’s created her own space in this industry without ever fitting the conventional mold and paving the way for women and men to break into the industry and fully embrace what makes them unique and beautiful. It’s her own ambition and self-confidence that have landed her on so many magazine covers, increasing visibility for women of color. That’s not just the definition of a supermodel but of a role model. And she’s only 24. Most important, she’s the definition of a true friend who will have your back when you need her the absolute most and show up to celebrate you like a true G. Her loyalty and genuinely free spirit is why I took a liking to her so early on. I know that this is only the beginning of an iconic career.… I’d personally like to thank these brands for giving her the chance to shine and to show her power and grace and her style.”
(Hannah Turner-Harts)
Winnie Harlow
“Thank you to the queen, Miss Nicki. You’ve had my back since the day we first met, and I’m forever grateful to you. Honestly, it sounds so cliché, but I really mean it when I say that if you told me a decade ago that I’d be accepting an award for Breakthrough Model of the Year I would have never believed you.… Although the way I got here wasn’t an easy road. I was repeatedly told that I could never make it in the industry, or that my look was a trend that would pass. I was so close to giving up on modeling, but something told me not to give up. I decided that I would no longer let anyone tell me what I couldn’t do, except for me. I thank God for pushing me to create my own opportunities and everyone who believed in me and helped me carve out my own space in this crazy world. I want to thank all the people who’ve championed me from day one. I’m lucky enough to work in an industry where you can create your own opportunities to make yourself thrive, one that’s slowly opening up to people of all genders, colors, sizes, and celebrating what makes them unique.”
Winnie Harlow (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Priyanka Chopra, presenting Male Model of the Year to Jon Kortajarena
“…In that unforgettable Bulgari image where you just even managed to make a fork of spaghetti look sexy… that is a talent!…I just knew when I saw that picture, I was like, I knew Jon Kortajarena is my hero. I want to be able to have that ability, that kind of talent and magnitude, and you do it with so much ease….No matter where you go or who you are around, you’re always so friendly… I think that’s what made us friends. I mean, yes, of course that made us friends, and a lot of tequila as well, but besides that, this is about you and not about those tequila nights.”
Jon Kortajarena and Priyanka Chopra (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Jon Kortajarena
“My speech will not be short…I’d never have believed 15 years ago that I was going to be here today getting this award. When I first started modeling, I felt so lost in this industry. If you can imagine it, my English then was even worse than it is now. I remember one day, after a shoot, telling my agent that the client was really touching my balls. What I was trying to say is that they were busting my balls…Joking aside, at the start of my career, a lot of people treated me like I was a stupid model rather than seeing the person that was in front of them…After being treated like this, my dream was never to become a model at any price. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to be successful, but my dream was to build a career and success the right way. By having a voice, having integrity, having empathy and respect for those around me. Not everybody understood that, but in 15 years, I have been lucky enough to find work with the world’s most talented, creative people…Karl Lagerfeld, Donatella Versace, Olivier Roeusting, and Mr. Armani, thank you all so much. Juan Carlos [speaks in Spanish]…Ali, thank you so much for trusting me, for making this possible, and for the future we have together. Today, I still don’t know the difference between the words ‘vanity’ and ‘vanish,’ but I can hold my head up high and say that with the support and help of many, I have busted my balls to create a career with value, respect, and integrity.”
Paris Jackson, presenting Fashion Innovator to Cecilia Bönström of Zadig & Voltaire
“For the past 20 years, which is all my life, Zadig & Voltaire has been pushing and challenging the status quo. Every season, Cecilia Bönström, the brand’s artistic director, invites us to consider a new mantra: Art is Truth; Fight for Love; and most recently, Girls Can Do Anything. Speaking of Girls Can Do Anything, which I truly believe…she inspires us to think differently, to think globally, and to think better. Over the past year, Cecilia has dedicated her efforts to celebrating and supporting women. The Girls Can Do Anything [campaign] has pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars in supporting new mothers through the Every Mother Counts charity, as well as equal opportunity for women in Uganda and Central Africa with the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund. Every day, Cecilia chooses to act based on her principles to improve the lives of women. We are here today to celebrate and honor women cementing their place as true fashion leaders.”
Paris Jackson (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Cecilia Bönström
“Life is full of fun moments and also challenging moments, and I feel this is a challenging moment, talking in front of these amazing people in this great room is harder than I expected. [Zadig & Voltaire] are like Voltaire—they are innovative thinkers because they believed in me and hired me even though I didn’t come from a classical fashion background and they gave total freedom to express myself and to create.…It was so evident for me to say, ‘Of course girls can do anything,’ because I am born in Sweden and for us, that’s the natural thing. But then I realized it’s not like that everywhere, and I hope that…we maybe place the seed and that soon all women out there will be convinced that girls can do anything.”
Cecilia Bönström (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Martha Stewart, presenting Lifetime Achievement to Stefano Tonchi
“I’m so pleased to be here tonight. Many, many years ago, I came to the Osbourne Apartments right here on 57th street to visit one of the many, many illustrious tenants who resided there. It was Leonard Bernstein…Now, I go to the Osbourne to visit another great conductor, an impresario, a composer. Not a musician, but an editor….Stefano Tonchi can conduct a crowd like no one else…His career has been jaw-droppingly fabulous. He has worked tirelessly for the best of the best in fashion, media, and art. He deserves this honor and then more. And by the way, I love his husband, I love his two gorgeous and intelligent daughters, and I love his apartment. Stefano Tonchi, everyone.”
Stefano Tonchi and Martha Stewart (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Stefano Tonchi
“Thank you so much, Martha. You are an icon with a lifetime of achievements in your own right. And thank you to The Daily for this honor…. I’ve never been so excited about the future. I think there is still so much that I want to do with my career with W or in many other areas, as you have probably heard already. So let’s look at this as a midlife achievement, I think, and more will follow. Looking back, I believe our achievements are where we help others achieve their dreams and giving them a platform for their ideas and giving them the freedom to express themselves. So my big professional achievement is to see the ideas and the people I believe in be successful.”
Brandon Maxwell, presenting Visionary to Nicola Formichetti
“I got a text message from Nicola: “Can you swing by and present an award?” And I’m in fittings right now for Fashion Week, so my pants are unbuttoned and I’m wearing a sweatshirt.… I came to Nicola maybe seven or eight years ago.… I sat down and said, “Hello. I don’t have any experience, but I believe that I have a career ahead of me in fashion.” He looked at me and said, “You’re hired.” You can now walk a block down the street and my collection is on sale at Bergdorf Goodman.… I know I was supposed to only be up here for two minutes, but I worked out of this guy’s house every day for three years, so I have a lot to say.… I really had no reason to be in this industry at all. I should have never, ever, ever, ever succeeded. And I really wouldn’t have if it weren’t for him. He gave me a job and employed me and took care of me, and my family and my parents knew I was safe.… He sat me down after three years and said, “It’s time to go on your own.” And he paid my bills and he paid my rent and he brought me flowers and he helped me flourish and he helped me grow…. I love you intensely, and obviously, I think you’re a genius and I love you very much.”
Nicola Formichetti
“I’m so happy that [Brandon] is doing really well—I feel like a proud mom.… I’d like to thank my team first of all.… You work really hard every day, so thank you for trusting and caring. And lastly—I’m super quick—I’d like to thank my creative community around the world. I feel inspired by this community, and this is why I keep going—to find people like them and do amazing things together.”
Taylor Hill, presenting Magazine of the Year to Nina Garcia for Elle
“Elle is bold, provocative, inclusive, democratic, and innovative—all of the qualities in Nina herself. Nina is a pioneer, an innovator, and a woman I look up to.… Having been originally from Colombia, she came to the United States to pursue her dream of working in fashion. Just one year ago, Nina returned to Elle, the largest fashion magazine in the world, as editor in chief.… I am honored to present the award for Magazine of the Year for Elle USA to Ms. Nina Garcia.”
Nina Garcia and Taylor Hill (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Nina Garcia
“Congratulations to everyone being awarded here tonight. I am so proud to be here today. I want to start out by acknowledging my team because this award is a reflection of all your incredible work. Next week will be my one-year [anniversary] as editor in chief at Elle, and it’s been a whirlwind of a year and really a year of firsts. From having hired some incredible talent to bring color and life to our pages, to having Kim Kardashian do our first personalized cover ever, to have Stephen [Gan] and I getting a call-out on the Nicki Minaj Queen album—I never thought that would happen!—to receiving this incredible award. It’s been an incredible year. We’ve accomplished so much in such a short time, and we have so much more to do in the years to come.”
Ashley Graham, presenting Style Curator to Law Roach
“From styling icons like Celine Dion to Ariana Grande to creating style icons like Zendaya, his self-made legacy as one of the greatest image architects will undoubtedly live on forever. I had the pleasure of working with him for the past two seasons of America’s Next Top Model, where I have been inspired by his humility, tenacity, and impeccable eye. And I especially admire him for pushing inclusion in the industry and making sure there is a seat at the table for creatives of color, as well as up-and-coming designers. I’m honored to present the Style Curator Award to my dear friend and brother from another mother, Law Roach.”
Law Roach
“Wow, look at this room! I want to thank every single woman who has ever trusted me to put a dress on her body, especially my princess Zendaya and my queen Celine Dion—without them I probably wouldn’t be able to stand here. I’m so nervous. I’ve dreamed about being in a room like this. I’m from the south side of Chicago, a little brown boy who grew up with big dreams and nothing else. And I just want to thank us, everyone in this room, for allowing people to be different and celebrating them and the more different you are the better you do. We are one of the only industries in the world that accepts everybody, and if you work hard you can be anything and anybody you want. So let’s just keep doing that and let’s keep opening doors to other people and giving people chances.”
Law Roach (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Carine Roitfeld, presenting Fashion Icon to Irina Shayk
“The first time I worked with Irina was [on] a totally crazy Bruce Weber shoot in Miami.… I understood that Irina would become a star because she has a beauty and a charm that fashion is obsessed by. For me, Irina represents everything I love—beauty inside and out. I love her pose, I adore her taste in men.… I think she’s a fantastic, devoted mom, and I believe she’s a faithful friend. She’s always been one to me. And finally, she’s incredibly generous because she’s always tries very graciously to understand my terrible Russian accent.”
Irina Shayk and Carine Roitfeld (Hannah Turner-Harts)
Irina Shayk
“My road has been the one less traveled. I started my career when most models are in their twilight, at the ripe old age of 20. At almost 33, I find myself in the best place in my career. How can I explain this? Dreaming big, for one, hard work, love for what I do.… But the real gift, the fuel for my drive, is the belief all my teams have in me. Thank you… You have expanded my horizons and allowed me to transition from swimsuit to high fashion. You all have risked your publications by taking chances on me and because of that, I have achieved my dreams in fashion.”
A very special thanks to The Daily Front Row’s 2018 Fashion Media Awards sponsors: Zadig & Voltaire, Sunglass Hut, LIM, Moroccanoil, Fiji Water, and Kim Crawford.
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