Erykah Badu has been named the latest “Fashion Icon” by the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America. The award recognizes Badu’s “distinctive, fearless” sense of style, which includes her unique preference for exuberant headpieces.
The 53-year-old songwriter shared her excitement in a statement. “This honor is amazing, and I do not take it for granted. I’ve always had a love for taking bits and pieces of the things I am attracted to and creating something far more grand than the sum of those parts. From the music I make, to the looks I put on, to the technology I’m developing, I’m always looking for innovative, exciting ways to be more expressive and connect with people, to be closer to nature.”
She also wrote on Instagram, “If you build it … they will come . thank you @cfda for this honor. A real ninja appreciates that. -eb”
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Cynthia Erivo hosted the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards, which were sponsored by Amazon Fashion at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History.
Badu reportedly joins several celebrities who have won the coveted prize, which has honored significant figures in fashion since 2010, including Zendaya, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Rihanna, per People.
Thom Browne, an American fashion designer and a CFDA chairman, said, “Erykah Badu and fashion are synonymous in many ways. Erykah effortlessly exudes herself, her unique point of view, through the clothing she chooses to wear and each look she dreams up is so individual and true to herself.”
Additionally, CFDA will celebrate her audacious fashion history, which includes pieces from Thom Browne, Rick Owens, and Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty.
The Grammy winner has blazed a trail with her own Afro-centric style of tall hats and headwraps, oversized jewelry and talismans, and layers of patchwork fabric adorned with accents that move and make music. According to the Associated Press, she has become one of the great fashion leaders of red carpets over the years.
She wore a headdress of jewels and a Thom Browne jacket to accept the fashion icon award Monday night in Manhattan, saying she has been trying to win the award since she was 6 years old.
