Cher is honored with the CFDA Board of Directors' Tribute at the 2017 Fashion Awards.
On October 4, 2017, Cher received the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Board of Directors' Tribute, recognizing her decades-long influence on fashion and personal style. Known for her collaborations with legendary costume designer Bob Mackie, Cher's daring, glamorous, and often boundary-pushing looks became as iconic as her music and film career.
From her elaborate stage costumes on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour to her provocative red carpet ensembles at award shows throughout the decades—including her famously sheer Oscar dress in 1988 and her Bob Mackie-designed Met Gala gowns—Cher consistently challenged conventions of what female performers, particularly those over 40, could wear publicly.
The CFDA tribute affirmed Cher's status not merely as a music and film icon but as a genuine fashion influencer whose sartorial choices helped shape late 20th and early 21st century style, particularly in blending glamour with rebellious self-expression. Her fashion legacy has been credited with paving the way for later generations of performers to use fashion as a form of personal and artistic statement.