The CFDA Awards are less than a week away and now the confirmations of those involved are coming in thick and fast. While we already know who some of the awards are going to - Johnny Depp is receiving the style icon award and the media award is going to Garance Dore and Scott Schuman - this years presenters have remained under wraps until now.

According to WWD, Jessica Chastain will present the women's wear award to Marc Jacobs, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen for The Row or Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler. The menswear award will be presented to either Billy Reid, Simon Spurr or Patrik Ervell by Matt Bomer and Jessica Paré will present for accessories.

On a different note, who else has a feeling that Kim Kardashian will attend this year's event to make a point after Met Gala-gate?

Image courtesy of Fashionista

There are pieces that CFDA winners have designed for Gap that have undoubtedly gone down in history - think Philip Lim's white blouse, or Alexander Wang's khaki motorcycle jacket - and there are pieces that have made such little impact we couldn't remember them if we tried, however this year's winners seem to have left quite a mark, as Fashionista's Lauren Sherman reports from the Gap pop up shop, located Midtown New York.

This year's jewellery comes from Monique Péan, who has created a 12-piece collection using her socially responsible ethos, working with local artisans in Columbia to produce pieces made from green coconut to water snakeskin to seeds. Womenswear came from Sophie Theallet, who designed a collection similar to that of her ready-to-wear designs, with a French feel about the clothing, fitting perfectly in with Gap's classic personality. Despite designing the menswear additions to this year's collaboration, Patrik Ervell's collection was even admired by Vogue's Sally Singer - who was said to be lusting after a silk tweed blazer - with a menswear range that could easily have unisex appeal.

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Patrik Ervell

It looks like the CFDA Awards have something in common with prom-queen battles from most '90s films: There's a whole lot of campaigning to determine who gets the title. By the time the Council of Fashion Designers of America hands out its awards in early June each year, many camps have already worked overtime to get enough votes for a win, according to WWD. The 2010 nominees were announced earlier this month, and already, several designers have already stepped up their presence in the fashion circuit.

As WWD points out, some designers plan appearances at extra events, re-submit lookbooks and occasionally have their PRs email contacts to ask for votes directly. Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts apparently submitted 100 or more "For Your Consideration" emails supporting Christopher Bailey's win for the CFDA International Award.

That said, some newer designers don't see the point of campaigning. Patrik Ervell and Joseph Altuzarra can't wrap their minds around it, and Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone describes the concept as "more of a turn off than a turn on." We're guessing we won't be seeing him on the campaign trail anytime soon.

Sophie Theallet and Alabama Chanin

Sophie Theallet started her week off right: Last night, she took home a $200,000 prize for top honours at the Sixth-Annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards. The Brooklyn-based womenswear designer addressed the crowd at New York's Skyline Studios by saying, "I'm French, so I'm going to try to do my best...Thank you for making my American dreams come true."

Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz and Nicole Kidman gave out the awards, which saw runners-up Monique Pean, a philanthropic jewellery designer, and menswear designer Patrik Ervell take $50,000 apiece. Facing a crowd including Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg and Karen Elson, Pean vowed, "I won't disappoint you."

Wintour said at the event that she had met with the French minister of culture to discuss starting a similar fund in France, and the UK and Italy already have their own schemes. The editor reported that China, Russia, Brazil and India aren't far behind, but admitted still that "New York is the place to come for young designers to show what they're capable of."

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Flora Gill and Alexa Adams of Ohne Titel; Waris Ahluwali of House of Waris

It's a pretty huge pat on the back for designers to receive the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Past winners of the cash award and mentorship include Proenza Schouler, Doo-Ri Chung and Alexander Wang - without argument, some of fashion's (freshest) big names. And the Fashion Fund has just been tipping us off to great designers for six years.

This year's 10 finalists have been announced, so now you'll know who to keep on your style radar. Try Flora Gill and Alexa Adams of Ohne Titel; Waris Ahluwalia of House of Waris; Monique Pean; Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin; Patrik Ervell; Wayne Lee of Wayne; Sophie Theallet; Gary Graham; George Esquivel of Esquivel Shoes; and Simon Spurr of Spurr.

A big congrats to all of them, and we'll keep our fingers crossed for Nov. 16, when the winner is announced.