Cooper-Hewitt to Honor Behnaz Sarafpour

This morning, the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum announced the winners of its prestigious National Design Awards—even though the official bestowals won’t occur until October. This year’s recipient of the Fashion award is none other than the Iranian-born and New York-based Behnaz Sarafpour.

Sarafpour’s line, which she founded in 2001, has evolved into a well-rounded womenswear range that fuses feminine cuts with innovative textiles. Her Fall 2013 collection, in particular, might have caught the eye of Caroline Baumann, Cooper-Hewitt’s acting director. The lineup featured classic silhouettes turned modern via neoprene and piled velvet. Previous winners of the honor include Thom Browne (2012), J. Mendel (2011), Rick Owens (2007), and Tom Ford (2003).