Update: Congratulations to Alexander Wang for winning GQ’s Best New Menswear Designer

American fashion can’t be pigeon holed into a single style so GQ made it a point to be as diverse as possible when they selected their finalist for this year’s “Best New Menswear Designer In America.” The budding program is only in its fourth year but garnered the attention and respect from many in the industry from the get-go due in part to CFDA’s participation. CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb, along with GQ’s Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson and Creative Director Jim Moore, lead a panel of judges that would anoint this year’s winner. Each brand draws on a different American archetype ranging from casual left coast surfer style to highly custom tailored suits. The eclectic list includes Warriors of Radness, Patrik Ervell, Riviera Club, Gant by Michael Bastian, Miller’s Oath, and T by Alexander Wang.

And what better way to celebrate the eve of the announcement than to throw a party at The Ace Hotel. The Roman & Williams interior made for the perfect backdrop to each of the designers’ collections. Like a well groomed group of gentlemen clustered inside an early 20th century library, each of the designers’ collection held court as the swell of the crowd slowly flowed around the perimeter. Simply put, it was bananas – chaotic but civilized. It was a fashion who’s who as Tommy Hilfiger, Frank Muytjens, Robert Geller, and the Billykirk brothers were easily recognized and spotted by most while Thomas Wesley Pentz aka Diplo went unnoticed.

Just a few minutes before the crush from the crowd, I had the pleasure of speaking to a few of the finalist downstairs. When asked how it felt to be chosen, Rick Klotz from Warriors of Radness was taken back and surprised by it all but honored. The same went for the boys from Riviera Club. Derek Buse was the first to receive the word and tried to convince his partners Joe Sadler and Greg Ullery that they weren’t being punk’d. Back upstairs all the finalists were confronted by the hysteria from the photographers, people and adulation. Even though it was a competition, it certainly didn’t feel like one. It was more festive than competitive.

Previous years had the winning designer design a capsule collection for Levi’s. This year will be different, all of the finalist “will be given the opportunity to contribute looks to the limited-edition Dockers collection” that will make its way to Bloomingdale’s in the fall.