Many applied, three were chosen, but there could only be one winner. On March 30, at a special gala party in Los Angeles, DaShaun Hightower was presented with the annual Out Fashion Vanguard Award. While the other finalists, Nicolas Bilodeau and Marquise Foster, delivered some impressive looks, Hightower’s finely cut trouser and excellent fitted white jacket blew the judges away.
“I was honestly shocked,” says Hightower. “There was so much talent on that stage, anyone could have taken the award.” His surprise was accentuated by the fact that he won a menswear competition, despite being primarily a womenswear designer. “When I looked at images from last year’s contest, and I saw a dress, I was like, Oh, that’s fly, I can do that,” he recalls.
The 24-year-old New Britain, Conn.,…
