High above Columbus Circle Wednesday morning, the room at Robert – the ninth floor restaurant at the Museum of Arts and Design – was abuzz with great energy and great style. But then, everyone there was on hand to celebrate the winners of the 2012 Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation (EDFF) award.

This year’s winners – CorrellCorrell, Eighteenth, HAUS ALKIRE, Sunhee Hwang, Tim Coppens, Titania Inglis, and accessories label Dezso by Sara Beltrán – may not yet be household names, but that’s about to change.

“Interesting energy, integrity, quality of design, authenticity, and imagination,” said Julie Gilhart (consultant to Amazon.com’s fashion group and former fashion director at Barneys) when asked what she looks for when judging the EDFF competition. “Nothing less. It’s always the same standard – someone that we feel could be something in the future, because that’s kind of the tradition of Ecco Domani.”

Indeed. Now in its eleventh year, the EDFF has jumpstarted the careers of a wide range of notable designers, including Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra, Zac Posen, Rodarte, Vena Cava, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, and Peter Som, by awarding each a $25,000 grant to help stage their collections during New York Fashion Week.

“It means so much,” said Eighteenth’s Alexa Galler of her EDFF prize. “It puts you on this next level; even just the education I’ve gotten putting on a show and the people I’ve been exposed to. It’s amazing to be part of these talented designers and have these judges know who I am now. I’m very lucky.”

Feeling equally blessed were German-born, New York-based CorrellCorrell twins Daphne and Vera Correll, Haus Alkire’s husband-and-wife team Julie Haus (she designs the clothes) and Jason Alkire (he does the prints) and sustainable style guru Titania Inglis, all of whom were on hand to show off examples of their work and meet the press.

“It means recognition,” said the group’s lone menswear designer, Tim Coppens, who launched his eponymous label less than a year ago. “I’m selling at a of couple stores, but winning this award and getting press means I must be doing a good job of establishing what I’m about and that people understand it. Winning this gives me the opportunity to build on that. It’s not just the prize money, it’s also the attention you get – and then the presentation brings more people, so it opens more doors.”

“We try to mix it up and [showcase] a little of this and a little of that,” said EDFF judge (and self described fashion “truffle hunter”) Kim Hastreiter, co-editor of Paper mag. “I just look for excellence and I want to see new talent. Anyone – even if they’re working in their garage in Bushwick – should be able to apply for the EDFF. So I want to get the word out to regular people.”

Consider it done. I, for one, can’t wait to see what this year’s group of talented designers have planned for New York Fashion Week – and beyond.

Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.