Trovata takes prize at Fashion Fund Award Gala
Fashion Desk

First there was "The O.C.," then MTV's popular reality series "Laguna Beach" and now there's Newport Beach, Calif.-based design collective Trovata – California's infamous Orange County is clearly having a moment.
The four pretty boys of Trovata – John Whitledge, Josia Lamberto-Egan, Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos – were announced as the winners of the 2005 Council of Fashion Designers of America and Vogue Fashion Fund award at Thursday night's "7th on Sale Online" gala at Skylight Studios in New York.
The award includes $200,000 as well as regular meetings with a team of business mentors who will provide the Trovata team with business expertise and a variety of professional resources and assistance. Derek Lam and suit-master Thom Browne placed as runners-up, each winning a commendable amount of $50,000.
"Winning the award was unbelievable!" Whitledge told FWD. "It was unimaginable that we were selected as finalists alongside such an amazing group of designers. So, to win, it's a bit crazy." And one can't help but agree, what with the competition including such designers as Isabel Toledo, with 20 years of experience in the industry, and Anthony Camargo and Nak Armstrong of Anthony Nak who were this year's recipients of the CFDA Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent in Accessory Design.
Last night was a hit with some of Hollywood's best-known faces and the fashion world's crème of the crop coming out to take part in the festivities, from Jennifer Lopez, Scarlett Johansson and Chloe Sevigny, to designers Stefano Dolce and Domenico Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Tom Ford, Nicole Miller, Diane von Furstenberg and Peter Som, to supermodels Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen and Gemma Ward.
The evening kicked off with the launch of "7th on Sale" and eBay's designer sample sale where hundreds of donated designer must-haves, including Dolce & Gabbana gowns, Anthony Nak jewelry and loads of Balenciaga bags, were nestled into every nook and cranny of Skylight Studios. Hollywood starlet Scarlett Johansson thought the event would be a great hit.
"Well, I think a lot of people shop online and I think it makes the products more available," said Johansson, looking beautiful in a Calvin Klein number. "And hopefully it'll make a huge difference in how much money we raise."
Stepping inside the space was literally like stepping onto a movie set with everything from the decorations and carpeting to the dozens of staff members and computer stations decked out in pure white to recreate the fantastical scenery from Disney's forthcoming film, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The White and the Wardrobe."
Fashion Wire Daily caught up with some of the hot shots of the evening during the exclusive pre-cocktail party and shopping bash to unearth their thoughts on the evening and what was on their shopping wish-list.
"I had my eye on some things, but everything I wanted, people bought!" bellowed Vogue's editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley. "Like the Gucci barbeque set - it's sold!" Talley pulled FWD along to the white display shelves where indeed, a big red "sold" tag glared beside an exquisite silver barbeque set nestled inside a beautifully crafted wooden carrying case. "And look at those handles," sighed Talley as he fingered the leather straps secured on either side of the case. "It's all just so beautiful, you want to put it in your dining room and have a barbeque inside!"
Talley may have missed out on a few of his coveted items, but there were plenty of goods to be had, such as an evening dress donated by Natalie Chanin and Enrico Marone-Cinzano of Project Alabama. "We have so many reasons to be here tonight," said a very pregnant Chanin (FYI: it's a girl!). Aside from being 7th on Sale donors, Project Alabama was one of the ten chosen Fashion Fund finalists and had much to celebrate given their recent inauguration into the fashion elite. "I'm also ready to do some shopping!" added Marone-Cinzano as he pointed to the jacket section at the far end of the room. We let the pair do some perusing while we chatted with Vera Wang.
"It's truly a beautiful thing," said Wang. As a member of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund selection committee, Wang was also excited to show her support to the designer hopefuls. "I was very proud to be on the committee this year, and I've spent a fair amount of time with the other members so this is exciting for us all!" And was one of our favorite designers ready to do some shopping? "Oh, I am a great shopper!" Wang concluded with a laugh. "I always find stuff to buy."
"Oh yes," replied finalist Isabel Toledo when we checked up on her shopping status. "I'm just waiting for my [husband] Ruben to arrive…I donated a dress but I haven't seen it which means it [was sold] before it got here!" Hmm…perhaps Talley had been right all along, all the highly coveted items had already been sold. "I donated some bags and accessories," said a very modest Kenneth Cole. "But a lot of people and supporters have really done a lot of the work…and eBay takes it to the entire world and not just the fashion elite." The entire world can take part in the shopping frenzy from today until December 7th by logging onto www.ebay.com/7thonsale. Aside from clothes and accessories, you can bid on a catered lunch for six at the Roger Vivier boutique in Paris (including two pairs of customized "Belle" Vivier buckle shoes per guest), a six-night getaway at Diane von Furstenberg's La Samana, her beach house on Harbour Island or celebrate with Playboy bunnies at the April 2006 grand opening of the Playboy Palms Tower in Las Vegas with a wardrobe courtesy of Roberto Cavalli.