2014 CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion Challenge Winners K/LLER Promote Sustainable Luxury Goods

Many fashion industry heavy-hitters including, Steven Kolb, Maria Cornejo, Mickey Boardman and Coco Rocha, filled up The Modern in NYC on Wednesday afternoon for a luncheon to honor the winner and runners up of the 5th annual CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion challenge.

Each year, the CFDA assembles a selection committee. According to Fashionista, this one included Julie Gilhart, Cornejo, Timo Rissanen (Parsons' assistant professor of fashion design and sustainability), Melissa Joy Manning and more, to narrow down a pool of applicants to seven finalists. The committee then met with each one and picked one winner and two runners up based on design credibility, business acumen and eco-commitment.

Andrea Lim, Lexus's engagement marketing manager who helped conceive of the program, says her goal is to "build the awareness for these amazing designers who are doing thoughtful, responsible creations without the sacrifice to luxury."

She also stressed the importance of this domino effect: "They deserve the spotlight and hopefully the incentive that we provide can change their life because that's going to create that domino effect."

Jewelry brand K/LLER took home the top prize of $75,000, while runners up Reformation and Study NY took home $5,000 each.

While the money is a major help, the program's overall mission is bigger, and the designers get that. For these brands to reach their true potential, sustainable fashion will have to become something that everyone - designers, buyers and shoppers alike - care about enough to seek out. Hopefully, programs like this one, and the attention they get, will help make that a reality.

Brooklyn-based K/LLER designers Michael Miller and Katie Deguzman make everything in the U.S. and the majority of their jewelry is made out of 100% recycled metal. They told Fashionista that they "plan to use the money to continue to grow the brand and fulfill orders (they're already stocked at Barneys and Of a Kind), but it's also important to them to promote the tradition of sustainability and the fact that, 'you can still be a luxury fashion brand and be sustainable and be cool, it can go hand in hand.'"

Of course, it's something customers and buyers need to care about, too: "A tough thing for us is that a lot of retailers don't give mind to the fact that [some product] is sustainable or is recycled. If the retailers are asking for it, then the customers are asking for it; it makes it so that it can be a broader thing across the fashion industry. If there's demand, it continues on," said Deguzman.

Check out photos from the K/LLER Collection below!

 Rings for days. KLLERCOLLECTION.COM

A photo posted by K/LLER COLLECTION (@kller_collection) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:48am PDT

Check out Jada Pinkett Smith in her new Fox series Gotham in K/LLER's Brass Feather Earrings AND Parallel Quill Ring! #jadapinkettsmith #fox #gotham #kllercollection A photo posted by K/LLER COLLECTION (@kller_collection) on Sep 9, 2014 at 1:42pm PDT

 Had such a rad shoot today for K/LLER's Evolution 5 collection with @mayadonovan and @cicerodeguzmanjr. Huge thanks to @helmutlang @noeundergarments @tessgiberson @jeffreymschad @bklyndrygoods and our stellar interns!