Editor’s Note: We attended the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards in June and spoke with seven of the winners: Anna Sui, Rodarte, Proenza Schouler, Band of Outsiders, Italo Zucchelli, Alexander Wang and Justin Giunta. In this series of videos, AMERICAN BY DESIGN, we profile the winners and provide a glimpse into their careers.

Watching the introductory clip for AMERICAN BY DESIGN left me revved up to pull an online viewing marathon. “It’s like the Oscars of fashion — that’s how I explain it to my mom,” says Lazaro Hernandez of his attempt to describe, in laymother’s terms, the night’s significance. Other designers featured in this opening segment include the always-effervescent Alexander Wang, as well as industry icon Diane Von Furstenberg, who sees fashion in an anthropological perspective. “All of a sudden, people go for certain things,” notes DVF herself. “Fashion is a reflection of your time.”

Look for cameos by Anna Wintour, Jack McCollough, Tracey Ullman, Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, Agyness Deyn, and Kirsten Dunst among many others. Bonus point: Can you spot Jack White??