Anderson, Burton and Wales Bonner scoop top titles at Fashion Awards

The Fashion Awards on Monday evening made an impact on multiple levels from the assorted luminaries winning awards to H&M unveiling a new Stella McCartney collab on the red carpet and that same red carpet being crashed by two PETA supporters holding signs proclaiming, “Leather is Destroying the Planet. Wear Your Own Skin”.

While many of the awards had been flagged in advance and the red carpet events grabbed the headlines, the key news was who bagged the top designer title.

And the answer was Jonathan Anderson. He took the big title — Designer of the Year — yet again. It was his third win in a row and it was perhaps no surprise. After all, Anderson can justifiably claim to be Britain’s top designer given his move this year to become creative supremo at Dior.

Meanwhile Sarah Burton won the British Womenswear Designer of the Year title. The Alexander McQueen veteran is now at the design helm of Givenchy and was a popular choice, as was a much newer name who took the equivalent menswear title. Grace Wales Bonner (recently named to the design helm of Hermès menswear) was named British Menswear Designer of the Year for the second time in succession.

Meanwhile Dilara Fındıkoğlu bagged the Vanguard Award, which recognises a designer at the forefront of a new wave in British fashion.

The event at the Albert hall in London was hosted by two-time BAFTA and Oscar nominated actor, playwright and director Colman Domingo and attracted scores of celebs from Sienna Miller to Cate Blanchett, Anna Wintour, FKA Twigs, Sharon Stone, Kylie Minogue, Iman, Raye, David Gandy and many more.

Other notable winners included Lulu Kennedy and Raphaelle Moore receiving a Special Recognition Award for Fashion East. The talent incubator marks its 25th anniversary this year, with Fashion East alumni including Kim Jones, Simone Rocha, Jonathan Anderson, Roksanda, Martine Rose, Grace Wales Bonner, Craig Green, and Nensi Dojaka, among others.

And the award came with news that the BFC will double its support over the next three years to Fashion East, “to help ensure the UK remains the global leader in creative talent”.

Previously flagged as winners were LVMH’s Delphine Arnault as the recipient of the Special Recognition Award that honours an outstanding contribution to the fashion industry, while Chanel also received a Special Recognition Award; Brunello Cucinelli received the Outstanding Achievement Award; Anok Yai was named Model of the Year; and Dover Street Market’s Rei Kawakubo, Adrian Joffe and Dickon Bowden received the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator.

Meanwhile, costume designer Kate Hawley was the recipient of the inaugural Costume Designer of the Year Award, recognising Hawley’s “exceptional costume design” for Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. 

And from one cultural medium to a Cultural Innovator, the BFC named Little Simz this year’s recipient. The multi-award-winning artist was the youngest curator of the Southbank Centre’s Meltdown Festival, this year. 

Finally, the late Melanie Ward was recognised with a posthumous Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award. The influential stylist and creative died in October after suffering from cancer.