Diane von Furstenberg descended from the heavens in a gilded chariot drawn by 7 wrap-dress-attired muses last night to deliver the nominees for the 2011 Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards. Among this year's honorees, Lady Gaga will be recognized for the Fashion Icon award and Marc Jacobs will receive the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. But he'll have to compete against Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

Other CFDA nominees include:

Menswear Designer of the Year:

Michael Bastian

Patrik Ervell

Simon Spurr

Accessory Designer of the Year:

Reed Krakoff

Alexander Wang

Proenza Schouler

Swarovski Award (which recognizes up and coming talent; "recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from Swarovski as well as exposure to the companys vast and innovative Swarovski crystal resources"):

Womenswear --

Joseph Altuzarra

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, The Row

Prabal Gurung

Menswear --

Alexander Wang

Philip Lim

Robert Geller

Accessories --

Eddie Borgo

Jason Wu

Pamela Love

 

International Award:

Phoebe Philo, Celine

 

Eugenia Sheppard Media Award:

Hilary Alexander, The Telegraph

 

Eleanor Lambert Founders Award:

Hal Rubenstein, InStyle

 

CFDA Board of Directors Special Tribute Award:

Arthur Elgort (in honor of his impact on fashion and photography)

Who do you think will win in the competitive categories? And this is my first time seeing the actual CFDA trophy, but is it just me or does it look like something recovered from an alien spaceship? And furthermore, the trophy kind of has a little gut. If it insists on being a fashion award, I think it's time to get on a diet...

Link Love: CFDA