DALLAS, Jun 7, 2006/ FW/ --- Stephen Burrows is a true fashion icon, the first African-American designer to achieve international acclaim with his signature palate of vibrant colors and an approach to cut and modern silhouettes that has kept him at the forefront of fashion.

Monday night, in a star-studded event attended by some five hundred of fashion’s elite, the CFDA honored him with the Board of Director’s Special Tribute Award in recognition of his distinctive artistry and achievements as a fashion designer.

A native of New Jersey, Burrows graduated from FIT in 1966. Partying with Warhol and the Studio 54 crowd, he made a name designing for the club going crowd. His creations sold successfully at O, a Manhattan gallery-boutique and at ‘Stephen Burrows’ World,’ an atelier at the basement of Henri Bendel.

As a young designer, Burrows changed the way the world looks at American fashion when he was invited alongside such names as Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Halston and Anne Klein to show his collection in France along with French couturiers, on the runway at Versailles.

Running a very successful business during the disco heydays during the 1970s, his fortunes changed in 1982. For almost two decades, he concentrated on designing for the theater.

When 2002 rolled around, he made the biggest comeback in the New York fashion history – a shop opened at Bendel, catwalk presentation during New York Fashion Week and spots on the Home Shopping Network.

And pretty soon, there will be ‘Shop Burrows’ on eBay, and Home Shopping Europe (HSE) will launch a 26-piece collection in February 2007.

He is also scheduled to unveil his Spring Summer 2007 collection during Paris Pret-a-Porter taking place Oct. 1-9, 2006.

The CFDA Award was presented by three of Burrows' longtime friends and muses, legendary supermodels Pat Cleveland, Alva Chinn and Bethann Hardison.

Past recipients of the CFDA Award include Tom Ford, Norma Kamali and Oleg Cassini.

Recognized by the American Fashion Industry with a star on New York City's Fashion Walk of Fame, Stephen Burrows' distinguished career in fashion also includes three American Fashion Critics' Annual Coty Awards.

Spring 2007 Photo by Giovanni Pucci

STEPHEN BURROWS:
Press Contact:
JACQUES BABANDO COMMUNICATIONS
Tel: +33 1 42 68 10 10
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