On Monday evening, the British Fashion Council (BFC) lowered a red disco ball inside the Royal Albert Hall, signaling the commencement of the 2024 Fashion Awards.
Famous guests from Rita Ora and Halle Bailey to Rihanna and A$AP Rocky filed inside the venue, where the winners were revealed for the fundraising event's biggest awards, including Model of the Year, British Menswear Designer of the Year, British Womenswear Designer of the Year and Designer of the Year and the BFC Foundation Award.
Following a performance from Chloe x Halle, the BFC Foundation Award, which celebrates designers currently receiving support from one of the Foundation's core initiatives, went to Chopova Lowena. Other nominees included Aaron Esh, Bianca Saunders, Labrum London and Tolu Coker.
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The New Establishment Menswear award was presented to Priya Ahluwalia for Ahluwalia, who won against nominees Aaron Esh for Aaron Esh, Foday Dumbuya for Labrum London, Nicholas Daley for Nicholas Daley and Stefan Cooke and Jake Burt for Stefan Cooke.
The New Establishment Womenswear winner was Marco Capaldo for 16Arlington. The category's other nominees included Dilara Findikoglu for Dilara Findikoglu, Jawara Alleyne for Jawara Alleyne, Laura and Deanna Fanning for Kiko Kostadinov and Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena for Chopova Lowena.
British Menswear Designer of the Year was given to Grace Wales Bonner for Wales Bonner, who was up against Craig Green for Craig Green, Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Loewe, Kiko Kostadinov for Kiko Kostadinov, Kim Jones for Dior Men and Martine Rose for Martine Rose.
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Meanwhile, British Womenswear Designer of the Year went to Simone Rocha, who beat out Erdem Moralıoğlu for Erdem, Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Loewe, Maximilian Davis for Ferragamo and Roksanda Ilinčić for Roksanda.
"I'm very proud of the work I've produced," she said in her speech, adding, "My collections fuel my emotions. With this award I'd like to honour all the women and children who are displaced."
Stephen Jones won British Accessories Brand, beating out Anna Jewsbury for Completedworks, Helen Kirkumn for Helen Kirkum Studio, Jack Cannon and Joe Gelb for Hatton Labs and Rosh Mahtani for Alighieri.
Alex Consani became the first transwoman to win Model of the Year, in a category that also included Alva Claire, Amelia Gray, Anok Yai, Liu Wen, and Mona Tougaard.
"I'm the first transwoman to win this award!" she said in her acceptance speech. "But I can't accept this award without thanking those who came before me, specifically the Black trans women who really fought for the space I'm in today–Dominique Jackson, Connie Fleming, Aaron Rose Phillips and countless more who fought for the space that allowed me to flourish today."
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The biggest award of the night — Designer of the Year — went to Jonathan Anderson, whose fellow nominees included Chemena Kamali for Chloé, John Galliano for Maison Margiela, Miuccia Prada for Miu Miu, Pieter Mulier for Alaïa and Rick Owens for Rick Owens.
"I love Fashion. It makes me get out of bed every morning," Anderson said before nodding to designer Tom Ford. "Every time something good happens, Tom Ford is in the room."
The BFC announced several awards ahead of the event's commencement. Among them, Ford was honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award. The prolific designer, who served as Gucci’s creative director before founding his own label with former Gucci CEO Domenico De Sole in 2005, sold his namesake brand to Estée Lauder in a deal valued at $2.8 billion USD (£2.1 billion GBP) in November of 2022. The sale pushed Ford’s net worth upwards of $2 billion USD (£1.5 billion GBP), and he officially stepped down as creative director of his eponymous brand in April of last year.
A$AP Rocky took home the 2024 Cultural Innovator Award, which celebrates a leading innovator and image-maker each year.
"Rocky has had a resounding impact on the creative industries and popular culture this year - from his Paris Fashion Week debut to designing the retro-futuristic neighborhood in the Moncler's The City of Genius in Shanghai," said Caroline Rush, the BFC's chief executive officer. "Through these collections and the promotion of his upcoming album Don't Be Dumb, he has firmly positioned himself at the intersection of culture and innovation. We are also incredibly grateful for his continued support of UK designers and retail."
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The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, a trophy bestowed upon those whose contributions to fashion have changed the industry, was awarded to American photographer Tyler Mitchell. The 29-year-old artist, who initially gained notoriety for shooting Beyoncé's Vogue cover in 2018, has work in several major museums, including The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Mitchell said the award "affirms the necessity and power of storytelling through the beautiful marriage of image-making and fashion. And it affirms the importance of creating spaces where new voices and visions can flourish. This award is a reminder that fashion is not just about what we wear, but about how we see ourselves and the world.”
The Trailblazer Award, which recognizes the most innovative and creative fashion leaders, went to Remo Ruffini, CEO and creative director of Moncler. The designer is lauded for his disruptive Moncler Genius banner, which launched in 2018 and most recently staged a stand-out showcase in Shanghai featuring breakthrough collaborations with the likes of A$AP Rocky, Willow Smith, Rick Owens, NIGO and many more.
“Creativity lives where dreams meet energy," Ruffini said. "This is how we build our creative vision in Moncler, in a constant pursuit of the extraordinary. I’m grateful to the brilliant minds — both within and beyond the company — who’ve joined us on this journey, and am excited for those yet to come, each sharing their unique ‘genius’ in shaping our creative journey together.”
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Elsewhere, Gucci received a special recognition award for its Cruise 2025 "We Will Always Have London" campaign, starring Debbie Harry, Kelsey Lu, Alaato Jazyper and Yanan Wan and shot by Nan Goldin in celebration of London's creative energy.
Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou and Margaret Barbour also received special recognition awards. The former was celebrated for her work on 10 Magazine, which was launched in 200 and has since expanded to include a men's franchise, and her work with brands including Victoria's Secret, Antonio Berardi, Elie Saab and more. The latter was honored for her work as the chair of J Barbour & Sons, a role in which she has championed British fashion excellence for more than 50 years.
Last but not least, actress, writer and producer Issa Rae won the Pandora Leader of Change Award, which was presented to her by her Insecure co-star, Yvonne Orji.
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