John Pawson designs The Fashion Awards 2017 trophy

The British Fashion Council has commissioned British architectural designer John Pawson to create the crystal trophy for the 2017 Fashion Awards together with Swarovski.

Set to take place on December 4th, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, it marks the second year the BFC hired a designer to create a bespoke trophy for the event. The 2016 trophy was designed by Marc Newson CBE. “I am delighted to have been asked to design the trophy for The Fashion Awards 2017," said Pawson. "The trophy is a symbolic memento of the night so I wanted to create something special that would be both a beautiful object in its own right and a fitting tribute to the achievements of this year’s winners."

Pawson's design for trophy aims to fuse the best of fashion and architecture, as the resulting design features a minimalist crystal cylinder with a lacquer thread encased through its centre. The top of the trophy features a convex lens which acts as a magnifier of the thread. Each of the trophies is said to count a different coloured thread, making them unique on their own, but a striking piece when viewed from above together. "The inherent qualities of Swarovski crystal enhance the simplicity of the cylindrical form and coloured thread, producing a celebratory play of light and colour,” added Pawson.

“It is a great honour to work with John Pawson on the award design this year," said Dame Natalie Massenet, Chairman of the British Fashion Council. "He is one of the most celebrated architectural designers of his generation and his trophy reflects both his aesthetic and our vision for The Fashion Awards. It is worthy of the outstanding achievements it will recognise on the night and I am delighted that all winners will take away a collectible work of design.”

All of the trophies have been handcrafted from crystal by Swarovksi's cutters at the company's head office in Wattens, Austria. Each weighing 1.5 kg, they will be shipped from Austria to the event venue for the occasion. The Fashion Awards recognises the best of creativity and innovation in fashion by celebrating the work of exceptional individuals.

Photos: Courtesy of the BFC