Erin Beatty

Whether it's launching new programs like the sustainability committee, or adding 32 new designers as reported in today's WWD, lately it's all about growth for the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

The 2013 CFDA awards, fashion's Oscars if you will, will be handed out in mere hours. The industry has been gathering to recognize and honor its leading talents since 1981. A lot has changed since the early years of the awards. What was once a small intimate industry event is now a widely covered celebrity event. "I think it reflects a broader shift over the last few years where fashion has become more and more popular," Style.com's editor in chief Dirk Standen told us. "The internet has had a lot to do with that. It's entertainment on a par with movies and music." So to prep you for tonight's awards we've assembled this handy primer. In it you'll find the complete list of nominees, our predictions on who will take home the big prizes, and all the celebrity presenters and attendees slated to show up.

Before they gather together at the June 3 CFDA Award ceremony, the nine 2013 CFDA Swarovski Award Nominees partied last night at New York boutique Fivestory to celebrate their noms and unveil one of a kind works of art.

Suno has made it to the big leagues. The New York-based indie label has inked a deal with Uniqlo on its very first fast fashion collaboration (though hopefully not the last).

During the holidays, it's easy to get a little misty-eyed about childhood and the past in general. So we decided to be the "Ghost of Christmas Past"

There truly weren't any disappointing ensembles here--proof that when you're going to a Vogue event, you have no choice but to bring your A-game.

The Clothes: Demure, almost prairie-like separates in dust tones. Boxy tops were paired with oversized bottoms for a loose, summery silhouette, and m

Suno co-designer Max Osterweis was a filmmaker before he was a designer so it's no surprise that his first fashion film for the label (that he design

Everyone wants some Suno prints in their closet come summer, and now you can get them without having to leave the couch. Suno launched an e-commerce site yesterday where you can shop the brand's spring and resort collections. The site itself is meticulously designed to match the label's print-tastic aesthetic. There's no Adobe Flash here, as, according to a press release, "great strides were made to push the boundaries of a brave new Flash-less world." From tie-front skirts to Suno's floor-skimming maxi dresses, there's enough merchandise on the site to do serious harm to any girl's wallet, no matter how deep her pockets. Plus, Suno's to-die-for wedges, born out of a collaboration with Loeffler Randall, are available on the site, and as of now they have every size (we can't imagine they'll last long though). It's hard to make online shopping a personal, thoughtful experience, but Suno's making the effort.

When we arrived on time for a trio of Saturday evening presentations at MAC & Milk, we couldn't possibly have predicted the insanity we were in for. With the fur-coat-wearing, Blackberry-brandishing masses attempting to simultaneously check in for Suno, Erin, Pamela Love, Billy Reid, Illesteva, and Altuzarra, suffice it to say that there weren't quite enough iPads on hand to make the process run smoothly. After over an hour of waiting in the throng, we were informed that all the eighth-floor presentations had finished. While we aren't surprised that 450 West 15th St. is an incredibly coveted show locale (regal and historic as Lincoln Center may be, it just doesn't carry the same edgy-cool factor as MAC & Milk) we hope that as the week progresses, the downtown venue will step up its game and be better able to handle the crowds.

Click through to see who made our list--and why.

Know them well.