The 2024 Fashion Awards Lowdown

Last night, the crème de la crème of the fashion world gathered at London’s Royal Albert Hall for a decadent evening dedicated to all things fashion. Hosted for the second year running by the ever-charming Maya Jama and the effortlessly cool Kojey Radical, this year’s British Fashion Awards, once again presented in partnership with Pandora, brought a parade of impossibly good-looking people in impossibly good-looking clothes for us style obsessives to swoon over. Not to mention the stellar cohort of winners who took home. Want the insider tea? Keep reading – we’ve got the down low.

THE LOOKS

Where the fash pack turned out in all their best garb, this year’s red carpet was a good‘un. Chlöe and Halle Bailey kicked things off respectively wearing a glistening white lamp dress by young designer Ellie Misner and a seductive Atsuko Kudo latex gown. The sisters were followed by Alexa Chung who wore a flapper-like Miu Miu slip embroidered with beads and sequins beneath an oversized fur coat. Hostess Maya Jama arrived next, swathed in a fringed, chartreuse Conner Ives gown decorated by floral embroidery. Her co-host, Kojey Radical, showed up in an embroidered leather Etro overcoat with matching trousers.

Taking a more gothic turn, Caroline Polachek donned a spindly black mesh gown with a feather skirt by Sean McGirr for Alexander McQueen. Lila Moss also wore Alexander McQueen, though her lacy twinset was pulled from the house’s SS03 archives.

Prada also shone on the red carpet, dressing actress Ellie Bamber in a smooth, mustard yellow neoprene ball gown and Bridgerton starlet Simone Ashley in a coquettish white mini dress with a hefty train. Not to mention Joe Jonas who looked suave in a boxy wool Prada suit.

Similarly, Loewe wrapped British actress Sophie Okonedo up in a feather-fashioned graphic T-shirt with baggy black trousers and British actress in an airy floral frock with a colossal crinoline. Meanwhile the Loewe lads – Jamie Dornan, Richardf Gadd and Archie Madekwe – each wore chic black suits, Madekwe’s with a leather jacket, looking like the picture of men about town.

Christopher Kane’s new rhinestone-swathed Self Portrait collab made its red carpet debut on the likes of Lara Stone, Gemma Chan, Joan Smalls and Alessandra Ambrosio who sported candy-coloured dresses sprinkled with sequins and lines with ruffles.

Later, Julia Fox quite literally hopped out in a slinky, bespoke Dilara Findikoglu number that looked to be part mesh part vintage lace. Alex Consani also donned a Dilara Findikoglu piece, though hers was part corset part Union Jack.

Further down the red carpet, Rihanna turned up in a furry, electric blue Christian Lacroix AW02 set with A$AP Rocky at her side wearing a boxy Bottega Veneta suit. Victoria De Angelis and Georgia Palmer donned slinky, mesh dresses from David Koma’s premier collection for Blumarine. Actor Tosin Cole stepped out in Fendi while Simone Rocha wore a poofy black wraparound gown of her own design and Issa Rae wore a lovely velvet Roland Mouret number.

British actress and former Fashion Awards host Jodie Turner-Smith opted for an eccentric, sequin-spattered yellow Burberry look while Jourdan Dunn donned an adorable leopard print Dior twinset. Rocking up in Gucci, model Yanan Wan donned a draped and fringed burgundy dress alongside house creative director Sabato De Sarno who of course, also sported a Gucci suit.

THE PERFORMERS

The awards came accompanied by a performance from songstress sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey who offered their own interpretation of the Bee Gees’ To Love Somebody while sporting custom Dilara Findikoğlu looks.

Debbie Harry also put on an unforgettable performance, belting out Heart of Glass followed by Donna Summer’s I Feel Love in honour of the Special Recognition Award which was presented to Gucci and Nan Goldin for their We Will Always Have London campaign which stars the Blondie frontwoman.

Wizkid closed out the show with a dynamic rendition of his emotionally-charged track Troubled Mind while decked out in a full Moncler look, and at the afterparty, DJ Rachel Anson had things bumping well into the night.

THE WINNERS

First and foremost, a massive congratulations to 10’s very own founder and global editor-in-chief Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou who was presented with a Special Recognition Award recognising her groundbreaking contributions to the fashion industry and her unparalleled ability to champion creativity and innovation within the industry.

For the second year running Jonathan Anderson took home the most buzz-worthy award of the night, scooping up the Designer of Year Award, presented by Jamie Dornan. He was joined by designers Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena of Chopova Lowena who took home the BFC Foundation Award recognising a BFC Foundation initiative designer who has had a major impact on global fashion over the past year, and legendary milliner Stephen Jones who secured the British Accessories Designer award.

In a monumental moment presented by Ashley Graham and Nava Mau, Alex Cosani was crowned Model of The Year, becoming the first-ever out trans model to be bestowed the prestigious title.

The evening also saw Priya Ahluwalia take home the New Establishment Menswear award while Marco Capaldo of 16Arlington clinched the accolade for New Establishment Womenswear. Grace Wales Bonner received the coveted British Menswear Designer (though Bonner wasn’t in attendance and Tems accepted the award on her behalf) and Simone Rocha was celebrated as the British Womenswear Designer for 2024.

Also on the night, Tyler Mitchell was presented with the Isabella Blow Award while wearing a Wales Bonner Suit. The award celebrates the “very best innovators and creatives in fashion, celebrating invaluable contributions that have changed the entire fashion landscape”, according to the BFC.

Presented by Anna Wintour, Tom Ford was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award which “celebrates the creative contribution of an individual to the fashion industry, who throughout their illustrious career has constantly shaped and reshaped the fashion world through their innovation and creativity.”

Gucci and Nan Goldin also received a Special Recognition Award for their We Will Always Have London campaign, spotlighting the Blondie Bag and starring none other than Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry herself.

See the full list of winners below:

Designer of the Year Award

Recognises a British or international designer whose innovative collections have made a notable impact on the industry, defining the landscape of global fashion.

Winner: Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Loewe

Presented by: Jamie Dornan

Model of the Year Award

Recognises the global impact of a model who, over the last 12 months, has dominated the industry with an influence that transcends the catwalk.

Winner: Alex Consani

Presented by: Ashley Graham and Nava Mau

British Menswear Designer Award

Recognises a leading British menswear designer who has consistently made a global impact with their innovative and creative designs, shaping the burgeoning international menswear landscape.

Winner: Grace Wales Bonner for Wales Bonner

Presented by: Ian Wright

British Womenswear Designer Award

Recognises a leading British womenswear designer who has consistently made a global impact with their innovative and creative designs, shaping the burgeoning international womenswear landscape.

Winner: Simone Rocha for Simone Rocha

Presented by: Kelly Rutherford and Nicola Coughlan

Outstanding Achievement Award

Celebrates the creative contribution of an individual to the fashion industry, who throughout their illustrious career has constantly shaped and reshaped the fashion world through their innovation and creativity.

Winner: Tom Ford

Presented by: Anna Wintour

Cultural Innovator Award

Celebrates a leading innovator and imagemaker in the entertainment industry, who over the course of the year, has created viral fashion moments which have had a profound impact on the fashion industry and wider culture.

Winner: A$AP Rocky

Presented by: Michèle Lamy

The Pandora Leader of Change Award

Celebrates a person who leads with innovation to create positive change globally. They consistently challenge the status quo. Their work is empowering, progressive and forward-thinking. They use their platform positively shifting perceptions as a result of their deep commitment to moving the dial when it comes to authentic representation.

Winner: Issa Rae

Presented by: Yvonne Orji

Trailblazer Award

Celebrates the very best innovators and creatives in fashion, whose work in the past year has significantly shaped the industry.

Winner: Remo Ruffini

Presented by: Maria Sharapova

Special Recognition Award

Honours outstanding contribution to the fashion industry.

Winner: Nan Goldin and GUCCI

Presented by: Chioma Nnadi

Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator

Recognises the very best innovators and creatives in fashion, celebrating invaluable contributions that have changed the entire fashion landscape.