“It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine. Salt ‘n’ Peppa and Heavy D up in the limousine…” — Notorious B.I.G, Juicy, 1994

Atribute to ’90s hip hop; an ageing Barbie; a rifletoting Betty Draper from Mad Men; a white neon picket fence; and silver-plated peplum “Wonder Woman” belt. While there may be little cohesion between these things separately, in the world of Cushnie et Ochs, they blended seamlessly.

In the unexpectedly quiet studio of Cushnie et Ochs the night before the show, any pre-show buzz does not seem to faze the design duo. But what about the fact that these CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Initiative finalists face added pressure? This collection could win them US$300,000. For Carly Cushnie, who grew up in London, England, to Jamaican parents, and Michelle Ochs, who has a Filipino mother and German father, this was merely the next step in their burgeoning fashion careers.

The highly coveted award unites The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Vogue magazine, and delivers what Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue, described as “nurture and support for America’s emerging fashion talents”. Every year, thousands apply for the award. This year, Cushnie et Ochs have garnered a much sought-after top 10 spot, and they join such designers as Altuzarra’s Joseph Altuzarra; AA by Antonio Azzuolo; Fenton/Fallon by Dana Lorenz, and others. By making the top 10, they also join the ranks of designers like Prabal Gurung (runner-up in 2010); Alexander Wang (winner in 2008); Marchesa (top 10 finalist in 2006) and Proenza Schuler (winners in 2004).

Added pressure aside, they had fun reminiscing on their childhood and conceptualising this collection. “The idea behind it revolved around Michelle and I meeting as young girls, envisioning what it would be like growing up,” says Cushnie. As they played “house”, they created a woman who was strong, bold, and offered a new perspective on femininity. “She was a woman and she had it all,” says Cushnie.

Part-housewife, part-Super Woman, the collection was described by Style.com as “…something a fembot might don for some provocative dusting”. And as NBC New York said, “…a playful take on the quintessential mid-century housewife…” But this housewife was far from dowdy or dull. Instead, she was defined by alluring angular cutouts, architectural lines, elegant hemlines that hit just below the knee, and were evidence of the maturity the girls have experienced since their first show, in September 2009. “The collection is a natural progression as we have evolved not only as designers, but as women,” says Cushnie. Ochs adds that the collection was much tighter this year, and was well edited. “We always want to be able to deliver a clear message with our collection, and have a direct point of view.”

Yet while demonstrating a maturity, the theme tended towards something much more playful than their usual darker inspirations. This time, added to their customary black, white and tan colour palette, were bubblegum pink, and canary yellow, perfect candy colours for spring. While many of the looks were structural with clean silhouettes, the designers added a sense of light-heartedness with a flouncy, white eyelet skirt and bodysuit, as well as redefined stretched leather for a springtime look, both in flirty full 50s-inspired skirts.

Since their debut collection in September 2009, they have garnered the respect of fashion editors, as well as a host of celebrity fans. Eva Longoria, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Anna Paquin, Elizabeth Hurley, Jessica Alba and Zoe Saldana have all been spotted wearing Cushnie et Ochs. Their reach has spread to boutiques in Mexico, Hong Kong, Russia, across the United States (including Bergdorf Goodman in New York), and online at shopbop.com. It is no surprise then that they were successful in making the top 10 of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Initiative.

But a nomination is just the first step in a very long process. It involves indepth interviews and a presentation to the award panel (12 fashion “power players” including Anna Wintour; designer and CFDA President Diane von Furstenburg; Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler; and Jenna Lyons of J Crew); site visits by the panel to their studio; a design challenge in collaboration with L’Oréal Paris; a fashion show in Los Angeles; and it all culminates in the awards gala in November, in New York. Throw in a shoot or two for Vogue (look out for their picture in the November 2011 issue), and they will be very busy for the next few weeks. “It really was an honour just to be nominated,” says Cushnie. “And while the money would be great, the mentorship with a fashion industry veteran is truly invaluable. That would be the ultimate icing on the cake.”