Joan Vass U.S.A. Is Recipient of U.S. Cotton Champion Award for 2001

ANAHEIM – New York City-based Joan Vass U.S.A. is the recipient of the U.S. Cotton Champion Award for 2001.

The award was presented here today at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences by the National Cotton Council on behalf of the National Cotton Women's Committee (NCWC) and as part of the Grown and Made in the U.S.A. -- It Matters campaign. As part of that campaign, NCWC members encourage U.S. consumers to shop for U.S. cotton products and urge retailers to stock that merchandise.

The 2001 U.S. Cotton Champion Award is in recognition of Joan Vass’ past and present commitment to the use of U.S. cotton in its Joan Vass U.S.A. clothing collection. Ms. Laurie Ratner, the company’s National Sales Manager, accepted the award for the company.

Joan Vass, Inc., was formed in 1977 after it became apparent that Joan Vass’ designs and her modest attempt to develop a cottage industry in New York City were both successful. That success was recognized in 1978 when the Smithsonian Institution honored Joan as an Extraordinary Woman of Fashion. The following year she received the Prix (Pri) de Cachet (cashay) and the Coty Awards.

The company has since grown to include Joan Vass, New York and Joan Vass, U.S.A. The latter features an outstanding collection of cotton knit clothing that can be found in the company’s eight free-standing U.S. stores. Some of the Joan Vass U.S.A. collection was modeled during the "Grown and Made in the U.S.A." Fashion Show at the Marriott Anaheim.

"Joan Vass’ commitment to using cotton is supporting the U.S. cotton industry and is encouraging to this nation’s cotton farmers," said Talmage Crihfield, a Ripley, TN, cotton producer who presented the award.

Crihfield is president of The Cotton Foundation, which supports the NCC’s Grown and Made campaign through a grant from Aventis CropScience Company.