The CFDA (council of fashion designers of America)

The CFDA is a group of fashion designers who are in charge of many things in the fashion industry such as - voting for and putting on the CFDA Fashion Awards every year(this year was in June). To be in the CFDA you have to be invited to join which can take up to 2 years to finalize. Right now there are only about 300 members- there is a list of all the members on the CFDA website. For most of the designers they have email addressed for the hiring departments of the company/designer which is a great source to send resumes in for internship (thats how I got my first one!) If your graduating high school or above you can apply for all types of scholarships and funds to help you further your fashion career/education. The CFDA also has presidents- to be a president you much be voted for and be a top designer in the industry for quite a while. 

List of Past and Present Presidents: (toung twister right there)

Diane Von Furstenburg ( 2006-now)

vice president: Reed Krakoff

Treasurer: Richard Lambertson

General Secretary: Yeohlee Teng

Stan Herman (1991-2006)

Carolyne Roehm  (1989-1991)

Oscar de la Renta (1987-1989)

Perry Ellis (1984-1986)

Mary McFadden (1982-1983)

Bill Blass (1980-1981)

Herbert Kasper (1977-1979)

Oscar de la Renta (1973-1976)

Norman Norell (1965-1973)

Sydney Wragge  (1963-1965)

at the awards ceremony they have many different awards given out to designers who work very hard and are succssesful at what they do. (I would put a list up here but they tend to change the awards a lot - just another too confusing part of fashion) If you want to see the winers of this years show just check out : 

http://www.style.com/stylefile/2009/06/2009-cfda-award-winners/