The Fashion Awards names 2016 winners
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The British Fashion Council’s newly rebranded The Fashion Awards crowned designers Simone Rocha and Craig Green as British Womenswear and Menswear Designers of the year at a star-studded award show held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The event was attended by 4,000 members of the industry and the public, with notable attendees including Anna Wintour, David Beckham, Gigi Hadid, Kate Beckinsale, Kate Moss, Lady Gaga, and Tom Ford, to mark the award’s largest ever ceremony.
The awards were repositioned earlier this year with the aim of cementing London’s position as the “world’s pre-eminent creative hub”. They didn’t just celebrate the best of British and international fashion talent, but also acted as the inaugural annual fundraiser gala for the British Fashion Council Education Foundation charity, which offers scholarships to talented young people to study BAs and MAs. The British Fashion Council aims to raise 10 million pounds over the next ten years for the charity.
There were surprising wins for the top two British design categories with Simone Rocha scooping the British Womenswear Designer accolade against tough competition from J.W. Anderson, who was actually nominated for four awards, Christopher Kane, Roksanda Ilincic and Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton.
While the British Menswear Designer award, presented by Lady Gaga, went to Craig Green, who was nominated alongside Anderson, Grace Wales Bonner, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood.
Craig Green and Simone Rocha win top honours at The Fashion Awards
The two other British categories, British Emerging Talent was awarded to Molly Goddard, who has become a favourite on the London scene for her oversized tulle dresses, while Alexander McQueen was crowned British Brand of the year, in a tough category featuring nominees Burberry, Christopher Kane, Erdem and Stella McCartney.
The new international focus of the new awards saw Italian fashion house Gucci scoop two honours, Alessandro Michele was named International Accessories Designer, while the brand’s president and chief executive Marco Bizzari was presented with the International Business Leader accolade.
Paris-based Vetements was crowned International Urban Luxury Brand, while Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga was named International Ready-to-Wear Designer.
A trio of influential fashion names were also celebrated for their contribution to the industry, Ralph Lauren was presented with the highest honour Outstanding Achievement in Fashion, while photographer Bruce Weber was presented with the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, and Italian Vogue editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani was awarded the Swarovski Award for Positive Change in recognition of her “commitment to diversity and for using her position and influence to positively impact the wider world”.
There was also a Special Recognition award Celebrating 100 years of British Vogue, presented by Mario Testino, and Gigi Hadid beat her sister Bella to take the international model award, and Jaden and Willow Smith were named New Fashion Icons.
The award show also saw 32 creative influencers honoured for the important work photographers, stylists, make-up artists, set designers and agents do behind the scenes of the fashion industry, they included photographers Alasdair McLellan, Nick Knight and Mario Testino, make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury, stylist Edward Enninful and hairdresser Sam McKnight.
Image: courtesy of the British Fashion Council/Fashion Awards