On Monday evening, x promising finalists of the esteemed CFDA/Vogue Style Fund competition gathered at the Weylin B. Seymour event space in Williamsburg. The young designers were anxiously pending the proclamation of who would take abode the grand prize: $400,000 to jumpstart their line—and a squad of the industry's tiptop experts, who would consult them forth the way. The winner, never before crowned off the island of Manhattan, would surely stand for the same diversity embraced by the fund's new Brooklyn location.

The star-studded list of finalists included Chromat'due south eclectic Becca McCharen-Tran, the menswear connoisseur Christopher Bevans and RtA'southward streetwear visionary Eli Azran, all of whom seemed to possess the ability to stitch nonconformity into the very courage of their garments.

However, information technology was Telfar Clemens, the Queens native who was the victor of the manner competition, with his eponymous Telfar brand. His unisex gear up-to-wear tees, tanks and polos and disruptive aesthetic, which he describes as "horizontal, democratic, and universal" were what piqued the interest of the judges, which included Diane von Furstenburg, Instagram's Eva Chen,Vogue'south Nicole Phelps and the CFDA'south Steven Kolb.

Hither's what you need to know most the latest CFDA champ, who will join the fashionable crowd of the award'south previous recipients, such as Brock, Brother Vellies, Gypsy Sport, and Jonathan Simkhai.

Clemens has been perfecting his sportswear technique for many years.

On the rails for Telfar'southward Fall/Winter 2017 drove. Getty Images

The designer started his line in 2005, when he was just 18 years old. Over the years, his unique accept on gender-neutral way has captured the interest of acclaimed New York City boutiques like Opening Ceremony and Colette. Now, his refreshingly affordable sportswear pieces have caught the eye of way's most influential minds, including the infamously tough, Anna Wintour.

He'due south all near out-of-the-box collaborations.

Clemens employs diversity to transform the simplest of garments into works of fine art. The make's pièce de résistance? White Castle'southward new uniforms. Yes, yous read that correctly. A 2016 fashion week party held at the burger chain's Times Square location led to fashion'southward nearly unorthodox collaboration. The Telfar compatible is now worn by over 10,000 employees in over 400 White Castle restaurants nationwide. A capsule collection, created in celebration of the uniforms, can be purchased on the Telfar site and worn by anyone—not but fast food employees.

Telfar's bottom line is all almost fighting against mass incarceration.

A black and blue t-shirt from Telfar'southward White Castle drove. Telfar

Telfar has partnered with RFK Human Rights, The Bronx Liberty Fund, Youth Represent and the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund to accept a stand against innocent New York Urban center youth held at Rikers Island, particularly those who are unable to afford bail. All of the proceeds from the aforementioned White Castle capsule collection will become to the Robert F. Kennedy Homo Rights Freedom and Justice fund to pay bail for these minors.

He doesn't use traditional rails models.

Instead, Clemens opts for what he calls "nodels." For his Spring 2018 presentation, he rounded up a grouping of his friends—who also happen to be the cool epitome of New York's downtown musical and cultural elite—including Kelela, Venus X, Joey Bada$$, Haley Wollens, Ian Isiah, Total Liberty, Ana Kras, and Trecartin. They modeled his designs in a dinner political party temper—over duck confit poutine and truffled chicken wings, no less.

He dressed Solange for her legendary operation at The Guggenheim last year.

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Dubbed "performance art with a set up listing," the iconic museum seemed a plumbing fixtures venue for Solange's concert, that served to explore the themes of her stunning 2016 anthology, "A Seat at the Table." Even more fitting were Telfar'due south burnt-orange and white monochromatic designs, coating Solange and her fellow dancers and musicians in a layer of artistry that composite seamlessly confronting the Guggenheim's white spiraling interior, making for a powerful mix of color and sound.

Get to Know Telfar Clemens, Winner of the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

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