A Night to Remember.
Last night, the British Fashion Council hosted its annual award ceremony, recognizing 16 designers and members of the fashion industry for their outstanding achievements.
The event kicked off on the red carpet hosted by Law Roach and Julia Hobbs, who had the duty of dissecting the outfits of celebrities from Skepta and Kano to Lewis Hamilton and Romeo Beckham. Upon entering the venue in London, attendees were serenaded by Usher and Sam Smith. Starting with a bang, BFC named Jonathan Anderson the designer of the year for his work at JW Anderson and Loewe. 2023 was a year of explicit imagery for Anderson, continuing his eccentric design principles in addition to a few flaccid accessories. In quick succession, Maximilian Davis took home the British womenswear designer award for his work at Ferragamo, followed by Martine Rose for her namesake label in the British menswear category.
Three female designers took home awards for new establishments, with Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena breaking ground on their grunge wear skirts for Chopova Lowena and Bianca Saunders’ eponymous label for her fresh take on menswear. Paloma Elesser took home the Model of the Year Award following a dominant 2023 campaign, followed by Sarah Mower who received a special recognition award for championing young designers.
Sarah Burton took home her own special recognition award for outstanding contribution to the fashion industry following her departure from Alexander McQueen after two decades. Known for his ready-to-wear looks which pushed the boundaries of street style and sophistication, Joe Casely-Hayford was awarded a posthumous recognition which was accepted by his son, a stylist in his own right.
Honorable award-winning mentions include Connor Ives for his impact on global fashion, Valentino Garavani for outstanding achievement, Charlotte Tilbury for outstanding contribution, and Sam Smith for cultural innovation.
PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of British Fashion Council
