Geoffrey Beene
Fashion Designer
One of the top fashion designers of New York who became known for his formal wear and accessories design.
He studied Medicine at Tulane University, but he left for New York one year before graduating.
The CFDA named him the Designer of the Year in 1986.
Though quiet about his personal life, Beene was homosexual.
A Lifetime Achievement Award was made in his name. Another Southern man with an award named after him was William Faulkner.