The Coty American Fashion Critics' Awards (awarded 1943–1984) were first announced in January 1942 by the cosmetics and perfume company Coty, Inc. to promote and celebrate American fashion, and encourage design during the Second World War. They were conceived and created by Coty, Inc. Executive Vice President, Jean Despres, founder of The Fragrance Foundation and FiFi Awards, and Grover Whalen (a member of the New York City Mayor's Committee, and president of the 1939 New York World's Fair). The publicist and champion of American fashion, Eleanor Lambert, was employed to promote and produce the awards. The awards were given solely to designers based in America, unlike the Neiman Marcus Fashion Awards. Up until its discontinuation in 1985, the Coty Award was considered one of the most prestigious awards in the field of fashion. The awards were designed by Malvina Hoffman. The womenswear awards are popularly known as Winnies; the menswear award which began in 1968 has no name. Repeat awards were the Return Award and the Hall of Fame award. Special Awards were also awarded to designers in specialist fields.
In 1985, Donald Flannery, the senior vice-president of Pfizer, Inc., Coty's parent company, announced that through their promotion of American fashion design and designers, the awards had successfully brought America into the worldwide fashion scene. This had been the primary reason for the Coty Awards' creation, and as their work was complete it was decided to discontinue them.
1943
Winnie
Norman Norell
Special Awards
Lilly Daché (millinery)
John Frederics (millinery)
Additional citations
Hattie Carnegie (fashion designer & retailer)
Clare Potter (American sportswear)
Charles Cooper
Mainbocher (American couture)
Claire McCardell (American sportswear)
Valentina (American couture)
1944
Winnie
Claire McCardell
Special Awards
Phelps Associates (leather accessories)
Sally Victor (millinery)
1945
Winnies
Gilbert Adrian
Tina Leser
Emily Wilkens
1946
Winnies
Omar Kiam (of Ben Reig)
Vincent Monte-Sano
Clare Potter
Additional citations
Ceil Chapman
Helen Morgan
Carolyn Schnurer
Wallace Mackey
Morris Wolock
Brooke Cadwallader
Nina Wolf
1947
The awards of 1947 recognised the work of the four main branches of the fashion industry: bespoke high-end design, high end wholesale, mid-priced wholesale, and junior fashion.
Winnies
Jacob H. Horwitz (junior fashions)
Mark Mooring (couture design for Bergdorf Goodman)
Nettie Rosenstein (high end wholesale)
Adele Simpson (medium end wholesale)
1948
Winnie
Hattie Carnegie
Special Awards
Joseph de Leo (furs)
Esther Dorothy (furs)
Maximilian (furs)
1949
Winnie
Pauline Trigère
Special Awards
David Evins (shoes)
Toni Owen (American sportswear)
1950
Winnies
Charles James
Bonnie Cashin
Special Awards
Mabel & Charles Julianelli (shoes)
Nancy Melcher (lingerie)
1951
Winnie
Jane Derby
Return Award
Norman Norell
Pauline Trigère
Special Awards
Anne Fogarty (prettiest dresses)
Vera Maxwell (American sportswear)
Sylvia Pedlar (lingerie)
1952
Winnies
Ben Zuckerman
Ben Sommers of Capezio
Special Awards
Karen Stark at Harvey Berin (concept of dressing)
Sydney Wragge (concept of dressing)
1953
Winnie
Tom Brigance
Special Awards
Helen Lee (children's clothing)
John Moore at Matty Talmack (evening wear)
1954
Winnie
James Galanos
Special Awards
Charles James (innovative cutting)
1955
Winnies
Anne Klein
Jeanne Campbell
Herbert Kasper
Special Award
Adolfo (millinery)
1956
Winnies
Luis Estevez
Sally Victor
Return Award
James Galanos
Hall of Fame Award
Norman Norell
Special Award
Gertrude & Robert Goldworm (knitwear)
1957
Winnies
Leslie Morris
Sydney Wragge
Special Award
Emeric Partos (furs)
1958
Winnie
Arnold Scaasi
Return Award
Ben Zuckerman
Hall of Fame Award
Claire McCardell (posthumous)
Special Awards
Donald Brooks (influence on evening clothes)
Jean Schlumberger (jewelry)
1959
Hall of Fame Awards
James Galanos
Pauline Trigère
1960
Winnies
Ferdinando Sarmi
Jacques Tiffeau
Special Awards
Rudi Gernreich (innovative body clothes)
Sol Klein at Nettie Rosenstein (costume jewelry)
Roxane of Samuel Winston (beaded evening wear)
1961
Winnies
Bill Blass
Gustave Tassell
Hall of Fame Award
Ben Zuckerman
Special Awards
Bonnie Cashin (deep-country clothes)
Kenneth (leadership in hair-styling)
1962
Winnie
Donald Brooks
Special Award
Halston (millinery)
1963
Winnie
Rudi Gernreich
Return Award
Bill Blass
Special Awards
Arthur and Theodora Edelman (leather design)
Betty Yokova of Neustadter Furs Inc.
1964
Winnie
Geoffrey Beene
Return Award
Jacques Tiffeau
Special Award
David Webb (jewelry design)
Return Special Award
Sylvia Pedlar
1965
Tzaims Luksus (fabric design)
Pablo of Elizabeth Arden (leadership in make-up)
Gertrude Seperack of Warner's (bodystockings and foundation garments)
Special Awards
Anna Potov of Maximilian (furs)
Sylvia de Gay (young fashion)
Edie Gladstone (young fashion)
Stan Herman (young fashion)
Victor Joris (young fashion)
Gayle Kirkpatrick (young fashion)
Deanna Littell (young fashion)
Leo Narducci (young fashion)
Don Simonelli (young fashion)
Bill Smith (young fashion)
1966
Winnie
Dominic at Matty Talmack
Return Awards
Rudi Gernreich
Geoffrey Beene
Special Award
Kenneth Jay Lane (costume jewelry)
1967
Winnie
Oscar de la Renta
Return Award
Donald Brooks
Hall of Fame Award
Rudi Gernreich
Special Award
Herbert & Beth Levine (shoes)
1968
Winnies
George Halley
Luba Marks
Return Awards
Bonnie Cashin
Oscar de la Renta
Special Award
Giorgio di Sant' Angelo(fantasy accessories and ethnic fashions)
1969
Winnies
Stan Herman
Victor Joris
Return Award
Anne Klein
Special Awards
Adolfo (millinery)
Halston (millinery)
Julian Tomchin (fabric designs)
1970
Winnies
Giorgio di Sant' Angelo
Chester Weinberg
Return Award
Herbert Kasper
Hall of Fame Award
Bill Blass
Special Awards
Will & Eileen Richardson of Up Tied (Tie-dyed fabrics)
Steven Brody and Daniel Stoenescu of Cadoro (costume jewelry)
Alexis Kirk (costume jewelry)
Cliff Nicholson (costume jewelry)
Marty Ruza (costume jewelry)
Bill Smith (costume jewelry)
Menswear Award
Ralph Lauren
1971
Winnies
Halston
Betsey Johnson at Alley Cat
Hall of Fame Award
Anne Klein
Hall of Fame Citation
Bill Blass
Special Awards
John Kloss of Cira (lingerie)
Nancy Knox (men's shoes)
Levi Strauss & Co (worldwide fashion influence)
Elsa Peretti (jewelry)
Menswear Award
Larry Kane of Raffles Wear
1972
Winnie
John Anthony
Return Award
Halston
Hall of Fame Award
Bonnie Cashin
Special Award
Dorothy Weatherford of Mountain Artisans (patchwork and quality)
Special Menswear Awards
Robert Margolis of A. Smile Inc. (excitement in menswear)
Alan Rosanes of Gordon Gregory Ltd. (excitement in menswear)
Alexander Shields (excitement in menswear)
Pinky Wolman & Dianne Beaudry of Flo Toronto (excitement in menswear)
1973
Winnies
Stephen Burrows
Calvin Klein
Hall of Fame Award
Oscar de la Renta
Special Awards
Clovis Ruffin (original young fashion)
Joe Famolare (shoes)
Don Kline (hats)
Judith Leiber (handbags)
Herbert & Beth Levine (shoes)
Michael Moraux of Dubaux (jewelry)
Celia Sebiri (jewelry)
Menswear Award
Piero Dimitri
1974
Winnie
Ralph Lauren
Return Award
Calvin Klein
Hall of Fame Awards
Geoffrey Beene
Halston
Special Awards
Stephen Burrows (lingerie)
Stan Herman (lingerie)
John Kloss (lingerie)
Fernando Sánchez (lingerie)
Bill Tice (lingerie)
Menswear Award
Bill Kaiserman of Rafael
Menswear Return Award
Piero Dimitri
Special Menswear Awards
Sal Cesarani (menswear)
John Weitz (menswear)
Aido Cipullo (male jewelry)
1975
Winnies
Carol Horn
Hall of Fame Award
Calvin Klein
Hall of Fame Citation
Geoffrey Beene
Hall of Fame Award (menswear)
Piero Dimitri
Special Awards
Bill Blass for Revillon America (fur design)
Fernando Sanchez for Revillon America (fur design)
Calvin Klein for Alixandre (fur design)
Viola Sylbert for Alixandre (fur design)
Monika Tilley for Elon (swimwear)
Menswear Award
Chuck Howard & Peter Wrigley at Anne Klein Studio
Menswear Return Award
Bill Kaiserman of Rafael
Special Menswear Award
Nancy Knox (leather menswear)
1976
Winnie
Mary McFadden
Return Awards
John Anthony
Ralph Lauren
Hall of Fame Award
Herbert Kasper
Hall of Fame Award (menswear)
Bill Kaiserman
Special Awards
American Sporting Gear (Sportswear (activewear))
Barbara Dulien (womenswear)
Menswear Award
Sal Cesarani
Special Menswear Awards
Vicky Davis (men's neckwear)
Lowell Judson (men's loungewear)
Ronald Kolodzie (men's loungewear)
Robert Schafter (men's loungewear)
1977
Winnies
Stephen Burrows
Donna Karan & Louis Dell'Olio for Anne Klein
Hall of Fame Award
Ralph Lauren
Hall of Fame Citation
Geoffrey Beene (Contribution to American Fashion)
Special Awards
Ted Muehling (jewelry)
Fernando Sanchez (lingerie)
Menswear Award
Alexander Julian
1978
Winnies
Bill Atkinson
Charles Suppon
Return Award
Mary McFadden
Special Awards
Joan & David Helpern (shoes and boots)
AMF Head Sportswear Co. (outstanding contribution to activewear)
Danskin Inc. (exercise and sports clothing)
Menswear Award
Robert Stock
Menswear Hall of Fame Citation
Bill Kaiserman
1979
Winnie
Perry Ellis
Hall of Fame Award
Mary McFadden
Hall of Fame Citations
for contributions to international status of American fashion
Geoffrey Beene
Halston
Calvin Klein
Ralph Lauren
Special Awards
Barry Kieselstein-Cord (jewelry)
Gil Truedsson (shoes)
Joan Vass (knitwear)
Menswear Award
Lee Wright
Menswear Return Award
Alexander Julian
Special Menswear Award
Conrad Bell (men's furs)
1980
Winnie
Michaele Vollbracht
Special Awards
Jeffrey Aronoff (handwoven fabrics)
Stewart Richer for Reminiscence (retailers)
Menswear Award
Jhane Barnes
Menswear Special Award
Ron Chereskin
1981
After Beene, Klein and Lauren all rejected their awards, it was decided that all nominees would receive awards.
Winnies
Calvin Klein
Perry Ellis
Geoffrey Beene
Special Awards
Barry Kieselstein-Cord (jewelry)
Alex Mate & Lee Brooks (jewelry)
Fernando Sánchez
Fabrice Simon (beaded evening wear)
Hot Sox (hosiery)
Robert Lee Morris (jewelry)
Laura Pearson at Tijuca (knitwear)
Menswear Award
Jhane Barnes
Alexander Julian
Ralph Lauren
Menswear Special Awards
Andrew Fezza
Nancy Knox
Robert Lighton
1982
Winnie
Adri
Return Awards
Norma Kamali
Donna Karan & Louis Dell'Olio (of Anne Klein)
Special Awards
Susan Bennis & Warren Edwards (shoes)
Jay Lord Hatters
Patricia Underwood (millinery)
Ted Muehling (jewelry)
Allen Veness (weaving and knitwear)
Special Award Citation
Geoffrey Beene (fifth Coty Award citation)
Menswear Award
Jeffrey Banks
Menswear Return Award
Sal Cesarani
Menswear Special Award
Robert Comstock (men's outerwear)
Zoran (men's separates)
1983
Winnie
Willi Smith
Hall of Fame Award
Norma Kamali
Special Award Citations
Perry Ellis (womenswear)
Bill Blass
Alexander Julian
Carlos Falchi (handbags)
Susan Horton
Selma, John & Barbara Weiser of Charivari
Menswear Award
Alan Flusser
Menswear Return Award
Perry Ellis
1984
Winnie
Adrienne Vittadini
Hall of Fame Award
Donna Karan & Louis Dell'Olio (of Anne Klein)
Special Awards
Milena Canonero
Robin Kahn (jewelry)
Barry Kieselstein-Cord (jewelry)
Michelle & Janis Savitt (jewelry)
Menswear
Andrew Fezza
Hall of Fame Award (Menswear)
Perry Ellis
Menswear Return Award
Jhane Barnes
