Sneak Peek: The nerves were palpable this morning at the Condé Nast offices, where ten promising young designers of womenswear, menswear, and accessories appeared one by one before the selection panel to present who they are and what they’re about in heart-stopping fifteen-minute time slots. Between presentations, filming, and photographs, each candidate took time out to give Vogue the lowdown on the process. Some were meeting for the first time, others were in competition with their friends, but all’s fair in love and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. . . .

Joseph Altuzarra, Altuzarra. Photo: VOGUE/Evan Sung

1. Joseph Altuzarra, Altuzarra

Describe in five words what your label is about.
“Seduction, power, strength, femininity, tailoring.”

What were you doing and where were you when you discovered you’d gotten through to the final ten?
“It was around 11:00 a.m., and I was doing a Skype fitting with Gianvito Rossi for my spring 2011 shoe collection. I was in my office here, and he was in Italy. He was mid-sentence when the phone rang and I said, ‘Wait, I think I have to take this.’ ”

Once today is all over, how are you going to celebrate?
“Tonight I’ll go for dinner with my friends Vanessa Traina and Melanie Huynh. I think we’ll go to Indochine.”

Read full article in Vogue.com