The Duchess of Sussex during the Fashion Awards 2018 in London
(Picture: Jeff Spicer/BFC/Getty Images)London’s most glamorous day has arrived. As this year’s stars busy themselves being polished and preened ahead of their star turn on the red carpet outside the Royal Albert Hall, let’s look back at the best of The Fashion Awards from years gone by.
The event celebrates the UK’s fashion industry — until 2016 was known as The British Fashion Awards — and is often dubbed the city’s answer to the Met Gala.
With prizes including Designer and Model of the Year, to special awards like The Special Recognition Award for Cultural Curation, and cutting-edge accolades such as the Metaverse World & Gaming Experience Award, plenty of stars have been honoured through the decades.
There have also been a fair few royal moments, starting with a very special appearance from Princess Diana at the event’s 1989 inception, and including Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s surprise delivery of the Womenswear Designer of the Year award to Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy in 2018.
In 2007, special guests included burlesque star Dita Von Teese and actress Rosamund Pike, who joined supermodel Claudia Schiffer for proceedings. That year, designer Stella McCartney took home the coveted Designer of the Year award, while Christopher Kane bagged the New Generation Designer trophy.
In 2009, all eyes were on Kate Moss and Vivienne Westwood when the awards were held at the Royal Courts of Justice. Burberry swept the floor that year, with then-creative director Christopher Bailey taking home the top design prize, and the Best Designer Brand.
Then, in 2010, American faces jetted over to celebrate, namely actress Emma Roberts, who was playful in a black mesh-trim satin mini dress. She was joined by the traditional guard of Brits, counting Victoria Beckham and Samantha Cameron, and Phoebe Philo took home the Designer of the Year award for Celine.
In 2014 and 2015, J W Anderson dominated the awards, collecting Menswear Designer of The Year and both Menswear and Womenswear prizes the following year. The awards in 2015 also saw star appearances from Lady Gaga, and the late Karl Lagerfeld, who arrived arm-in-arm with Anna Wintour.
Gigi Hadid was woman of the hour in 2016, as she won the award for Best International Model, and was snapped posing with Donatella Versace in the winner’s room. They were joined on the night by the likes of Jared Leto and Jaden Smith.
All heads turned to Zendaya in 2017, when she opted for a velvet black horse-head-embellished gown, while model Adwoa Aboah was sparkling in a sequin dress and turban by Michael Halpern, who picked up the best British Emerging Talent for Womenswear on the night.
Rihanna arriving alongside now husband and baby daddy A$AP Rocky was the unrivalled highlight of 2019’s awards. For the occasion, she wore a mint satin mini complete with sheer overcoat from her now-closed label Fenty. That year, she picked up the Urban Luxe award for her brand, awarded to her by none other than Janet Jackson.
The 2020 ceremony was disrupted by Covid, but it was back with chiffon-trained vengence in 2021 for an evening hosted by Billy Porter wearing Richard Quinn. The actor was accompanied on arrival by an entourage of floral-clad dancers.
Quinn also dressed the star performer of the evening, Kylie Minogue, though thoughts that night were of designer Virgil Abloh, who had recently passed and was paid tribute to.
Who is to know what is in store tonight but, given the last London Fashion Week’s disruption following Queen Elizabeth II’s death, there is no doubt the city will put on a show.
