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Style October 18, 2024

Erykah Badu to be honored as CFDA's 2024 Fashion Icon

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Erykah Badu, the legendary singer-songwriter and boundary-pushing style maven, has been named as the Council of Fashion Designers of America 2024 Fashion Icon.

Cementing her status as a trailblazer in music and fashion, the "Bag Lady" singer will be awarded at the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards presented by Amazon Fashion.

The prestigious fashion council announced this week, recognizing Badu for her fearless and eclectic approach to fashion that has influenced not only designers but generations of creatives worldwide.

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PHOTO: Erykah Badu attends the 2024 Met Gala celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024, in New York City.
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Erykah Badu attends the 2024 Met Gala celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2024, in New York City.

Known for her distinctive mix of avant-garde looks, signature headwraps and vibrant vintage pieces, the CFDA is honoring the music icon's major fashion influence on pop culture.

"This honor is amazing, and I do not take it for granted," Badu said in a statement. "I've always had a love for taking bits and pieces of the things I am attracted to, and creating something far more grand than the sum of those parts. From the music I make, to the looks I put on, to the technology I'm developing, I'm always looking for innovative, exciting ways to be more expressive and connect with people – to be closer to nature."

In addition to wearing her unique finds, Badu is also being celebrated for embracing the work of several American designers including Rick Owens, Rihanna's Savage x Fenty and Thom Browne.

"Erykah Badu and fashion are synonymous in many ways… Erykah effortlessly exudes herself, her unique point of view, through the clothing she chooses to wear… and each look she dreams up is so individual and true to herself…," Browne, the chairman of the CFDA, said.

PHOTO: Erykah Badu attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week, Oct. 1, 2023, in Paris.
Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images
Erykah Badu attends the Balenciaga Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week, Oct. 1, 2023, in Paris.
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As the 2024 CFDA Fashion Icon Badu joins the ranks of past honorees including Rihanna, Zendaya and Pharrell Williams.

This year's awards will be held on Oct. 28 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.