Stephanie Winston Wolkoff: A Fashion Force
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the American fashion industry.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Makes a Bold Move
In January 2010, Wolkoff became the founding director of Fashion at Lincoln Center, overseeing the relocation of New York City’s biannual Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park. In addition, she supervises every aspect of all Lincoln Center-based Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week events and coordinates an ambitious year-round schedule of fashion-related programming at Lincoln Center.
Fashion Opens at Lincoln Center, Directed by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff
“We realized that we could branch out and make Fashion at Lincoln Center into a brand, incorporating fashion into Lincoln Center’s programming throughout the year,” said Wolkoff in a recent interview. “We want to put fashion on the cultural forefront, on par with music, theater, opera, and the other art forms celebrated there.”
Art & Fashion: One High Heel in Each World
Wolkoff’s responsibilities include acting as a liaison between Lincoln Center and the fashion industry (namely IMG Fashion, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, retailers, and the design community) and developing important Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center projects in conjunction with its resident artistic organizations.
Vogue’s Party Girl
A sterling pedigree in the world of fashion publishing prepared Wolkoff for her Lincoln Center position. For over a decade, Wolkoff served as director of special events at Vogue magazine, working closely with and being mentored by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in overseeing and producing major events for Vogue, Men’s Vogue, and Vogue Living; these included the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, the annual 7th on Sale shopping event, and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund for young emerging designers.
From Designer Friends to Dinners at the White House
During her Vogue tenure, Wolkoff worked with many of the international fashion industry’s most renowned designers, such as Tom Ford, Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Carolina Herrera, and Vera Wang—all of whom she still counts as friends. Her work also expanded beyond the parameters of the fashion world, from planning dinners at the Clinton White House in Washington, D.C., to collaborating with film director Baz Luhrmann and countless other cultural icons from all walks of life.
Where Wolkoff Got Her Start in the Fashion Industry
Wolkoff began her career at New York-based Sotheby’s in 1993, where she rose through the ranks, eventually overseeing all aspects of its auctions and exhibitions. Before that, she studied at Fordham University, where she was a Division I basketball player.
Children & Charity: Life Outside Her Fashionable Career
These days, despite her perpetually harried schedule, Wolkoff finds time for active involvement in several charitable and community causes, including the Food Allergy Initiative, Baby Buggy, New Yorkers for Children, and the Central Park Conservancy. She lives with her husband and 3 young children in her native New York City.
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