Telfar wins the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

Unisex fashion brand Telfar LLC has won the 2017 edition of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, beating out the nine other finalists.

The label, which was founded by Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens, was announced as the winner on Monday night at a gala dinner in Brooklyn. Ahlem Eyewear, founded by Ahlem Manai-Platt, and the high-end swimwear brand Chroma, founded by Becca McCharen-Tran, were the runners-up. Clemens will receive a $400,000 grant for his business, with Manai-Platt and McCharen-Tran each receiving $150,000, Vogue reports.

The budding brand taps into the current trend for androgynous fashion, although it was founded by Clemens back in 2005 while he was still a teenager. The designer has made a name for himself through various collaborations with the art world and even held a retrospective at the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art last summer. His designs have become known for their signature genderless and slightly abstract form.

The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund aims to highlight and nurture the next generation of emerging American design talent by offering monetary prizes as well as a mentorship program from the CFDA and Vogue editors. Previous winners include major fashion labels such as Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Altuzarra and Rodarte, among others.