Ralph Lauren Named "Fashion Legend"

The Council of Fashion Designers of America will bestow its first-ever title of Fashion Legend to Ralph Lauren at the CFDA's 25th annual awards ceremony in June. The honor coincides with Lauren's 40th anniversary in the industry.

"No one deserves it more," CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg Monday night said at a cocktail reception at Rockefeller Center, where nominees and honorary award winners were announced.

The CFDA added in a statement: "His vision and innovation epitomizes American design excellence and continues to set the standard in fashion."

This year's top choices for womenswear designer are Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs. Jacobs was also nominated in the accessories category with Michael Kors and Derek Lam.

Through a spokesman, Kors joked that he felt like the "Susan Lucci" of the category with his fourth nomination, but was "honored and pleased."

U2 frontman and globe-trotting humanitarian Bono will receive the Board of Directors Special Tribute. Bono does have ties to the fashion world. He helped his wife, Ali Hewson, and designer Rogan Gregory launch the collection Edun, which manufacturers its apparel in developing countries.

In the emerging talent categories, Phillip Lim, Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte, and Thakoon Panichgul were singled out for womenswear; Michael Bastian, Tim Hamilton, and David Neville and Marcus Wainwright for Rag & Bone for menswear; and Justin Giunta for Subversive, Jessie Randall for Loeffler Randall and Anna Sheffield for Bing Bang for accessories. The winners receive Swarovski Awards, which include financial support from the crystal company,

The lifetime achievement award, which will now be called the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Award to honor what von Furstenberg called Beene's "American excellency" and a $5 million gift from the late designer's estate, goes to Robert Lee Morris. It's the first time this honor is being given to an accessories designer.

This year's international award will go to Frenchman Pierre Cardin, Washington Post writer and Pulitzer Prize winner Robin Givhan will get the Eugenia Sheppard Award for journalism and the Eleanor Lambert award, which honors the broad category of "image makers," will be given to photographer Patrick Demarchelier.

The nominations are determined by anonymous ballots from fashion editors and writers, retailers, stylists and other designers. The awards ceremony, which usually attracts many Hollywood celebrities as presenters, are slated for June 4 at the New York Public Library.

By Samantha Critchell