Stacey Bendet Partners with CFDA on Fashion Initiative for Young Talent

WWD reported that Stacey Bendet, chief executive officer and creative director of Alice + Olivia, has signed a three-year partnership with the CFDA to support the council's efforts to promote young fashion talent.

The unique partnership involves Alice + Olivia working with a new artist each year to create a one-of-a-kind piece that will be auctioned off, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the CFDA. Then similar versions of the item will be featured in a capsule collection at all Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet stores (and other retail partners). That item will have 50 percent of the proceeds going to the CFDA.

The first collaboration is with Domingo Zapata, a Spanish-American artist born in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The capsule collection will be available at the end of this month at all Alice + Olivia by Stacy Bendet stores and other retail partners.

Bendet said the partnership "is very reflective of my brand and our continued collaboration with artists. It is also wonderful to be able to raise funds for the CFDA, in their ongoing support of our industry and its new talent."

Steven Kolb, ceo of the CFDA, added, "Stacey has been a valued member of the CFDA for a long time, and we could not be more appreciative for her work to help us in our cause to advance up-and-coming fashion designers. The extraordinary support we will be receiving from the brand thanks to this initiative is invaluable to our organization."

A hand-painted, one-of-a-kind ballgown and gown skirt (signed by Zapata), will be auctioned off April 28 by Paddle8 alongside an Alice + Olivia custom two-piece bell-shaped ballgown skirt that features a leather waistband and a strapless leather bustier with piping in the print painted by Zapata. All the proceeds will go to the CFDA.

Alice + Olivia will debut the capsule collaboration with Zapata at an invitation-only cocktail party on April 28 at Casa Domingo in Gramercy Park in New York. That collection consists of a gown ($898 retail), floor-length skirt ($598) and a minidress ($298), all featuring a print from a mural painted by Zapata.