Fashion Trust U.S. | 2026 Announcement

equal-means-equal
LA will once again serve as the backdrop for one of American fashion’s most meaningful nights as Fashion Trust U.S. announces the finalists for its fourth annual FTUS Awards, taking place April 7, 2026. Designed to provide real financial backing and long-term mentorship, the initiative continues to position itself as one of the few platforms directly investing in the future of independent American design. This year’s 16 finalists, selected by the FTUS Board and Advisory Board, span Ready-to-Wear, Jewelry, Accessories and Graduate categories, with each designer also in consideration for the Sustainability Award.
The Ready-to-Wear shortlist reflects the diversity of contemporary American fashion, from Ashlynn Park of Ashlyn to Keith Herron of Advisry, Maxwell Osborne and Kristy Chen of anOnlyChild, and Zane Li of LII. In Jewelry, Ivi Kyratzi of IVI Los Angeles, Jen Insardi of JV Insardi, Jing Feng of Harlot Hands, and Josefina Baillères bring distinct points of view to the category. Accessories finalists include Andrea Marron, Camilla Gabrieli, Chris Echevarria of Blackstock & Weber, and Karla Maria Dipuglia Perez of Ká Dipuglia. Representing the next wave of talent, Graduate nominees hail from Fashion Institute of Technology, Central Saint Martins, Parsons School of Design, and The New School, Parsons, underscoring the global education pipeline feeding American fashion’s evolution.
With Google returning as presenting sponsor, winners will receive not only grants but access to a specialized mentorship program developed in partnership with FTUS, offering strategic guidance across fashion and retail. Founded by Tania Fares, Fashion Trust U.S. continues to bridge creativity and commerce, backed by an influential board including Laura Brown, Dan Constable, Maha Dakhil, Jamie Mizrahi, Carlos Nazario, Anastasia Soare, Lady Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, and Karla Welch. The five winners will be revealed during the awards ceremony in Los Angeles, a night that has quickly become less about spectacle and more about sustaining the designers shaping what comes next.