Passion For Fashion On VH1

They ain't the Oscars, but the VH1 Fashion Awards, handed out in New York over the weekend, brought out such stars as Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Chris Rock.

The awards are designed to honor the top style-makers in music and fashion. For most, the competition is just an excuse to look good, reports CBS This Morning Contributor Eleanor Mondale.

Claudia Schiffer (CBS)

Some took the occasion more seriously than others. Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, had a good-natured laugh when Mondale asked them what the event means to them. On the other hand, when Mondale asked model Claudia Schiffer to name her favorite model, Schiffer paused and said, "Ooh, that's a tough one."

DeGeneres was more outspoken: "I don't know who they are... They get a free ticket every day, being beautiful, and then we reward them on top of that. It's not necessary."

But, everyone agreed the event was all about the marriage of fashion and rock 'n' roll.

"Especially with music being so visual nowadays," commented Janet Jackson. "People always expect you to walk out of the house and look great, which isn't always the case, especially for myself."

Chris Rock (CBS)

Quipped Chris Rock, "You know how they train for the Olympics for six years? I've been working out for [the fashion awards] for eight years. And the show's only been on four years!"

Whatever his training, it paid off. Rock went home a winner.

The winners of the 1998 VH1 Fashion Awards are:

Women's Wear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs
Men's Wear Designer of the Year: Prada
Best New Designer: Veronique Branquinho
Best Avant Garde Designer: Alexander McQueen
Female Model of the Year: Carolyn Murphy
Male Model of the Year: Scott Barnhill
Photographer of the Year: Steven Meisel
Best Personal Style - Female: (Awarded to a female celebrity who displays an outstanding sense of individual style): Cameron Diaz
Best Personal Style - Male/: (Awarded to a male celebrity who displays an outstanding sense of individual style): Chris Rock
Most Fashionable Artist: Madonna
Most Stylish Music Video: : Janet Jackson, Got 'Til It's Gone; Mark Romanek, director, and David Bradshaw and Kim Bowen, stylists

The VH1 Fashion Awards were established in 1994. This year, nominees were determined by the VH1 Style Council, a committee of fashion editors, journalists, curators, stylists, and photographers assembled by the VH1 network.

Winners were selected by the larger "VH1 Fashion Awards Voting Body," a group of 150 fashion and music professionals. The program, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, was taped for broadcast on VH1 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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