In the upcoming months, all the 2016 CFDA finalists will participate in various challenges, including a fashion show in October at the Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles. The winner, who will receive a prize of 400,000 dollars, and the two finalists of 150,000 dollars each, will be announced during the gala dinner on November 7th.

What ? Founded in 2014 by Piotrek Panszczyk and Beckett Fogg, Area has developed a recognizable visual identity characterized by textile manipulation, including their signature embossing techniques and various fabric treatments.

A girl ? Beckett, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Virginia, where she studied Architectural Design with a concentration in Multi-disciplinary studies.

A boy ? Piotrek was born in Poland and raised in Holland, where he studied Fashion Design at the Artez Institute of the Arts, before working at Chloe in Paris.

Together ? The designers met while pursuing their Masters in Fashion Design and Society at Parsons, where they overlapped for one year and found a similar aesthetic in their respective collections. Beckett went on to work at Calvin Klein Collection, and the designers then joined to begin work on area in 2013.

A trend ! With a strong focus on embossed knitwear, it has since grown into a full designer collection inclusive of sportswear, outerwear, eveningwear and tailored garments. Piotrek and Beckett meld their diverse backgrounds and design collections surrounding their own interests in fashion as it relates to aspiration and conceptualized ideas of glamour.

Photo credit: @ Charlotte Wales_