As December nears, those of you with a keen eye on the ins and outs of the fashion world were no doubt wondering in what format the Fashion Awards would be returning this year.
After taking last year's event online due to the pandemic's peak, last night finally saw the iconic ceremony celebrate a return to an IRL format as it kicked off at the Royal Albert Hall.
Hosted by Billy Porter (yes, THE Billy Porter; the Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning actor, singer, and director) this year's Fashion Awards welcomed a seriously epic line-up on the red carpet, attracting the biggest names annually in fashion design, modelling, music and film.
Following a momentous year of change and evolution, this year's Fashion Awards – presented by TikTok – expanded its global reach with a new creative approach and future-facing ambition, while also celebrating those who have had an important impact on the fashion industry in 2021.
During the last eighteen months of digital experiences and socially-distanced catwalks which required a whole new sense of creativity, there has also been a renewed awareness of and enthusiasm for making positive change.
In light of this, the Fashion Awards structure was reimagined to place fashion at the intersection of culture, and celebrated this year's leaders who are changing the industry for the better.
Here is the full list of Fashion Award 2021 winners:
Designer of the Year Award
This award recognises a British or international designer whose innovative collections have made a notable impact on the industry, defining the shape of global fashion.
- Daniel Lee for Bottega Veneta
- Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga
- Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Loewe
- Kim Jones for Dior Men and Fendi - WINNER
- Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons for Prada
BFC Foundation Award
Recognises an emerging designer talent, who over the last 12 months has had a major creative impact on global fashion.
- Bethany Williams
- Bianca Saunders
- Nensi Dojaka - WINNER
- Priya Ahluwalia
- Richard Quinn
Outstanding Achievement Award
Tommy Hilfiger was awarded for his outstanding contribution to the global fashion industry.
Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator
Ib Kamara was honoured for his incredible contribution to culture, art, and fashion and his commitment to challenging stereotypes and the status quo.
Trailblazer Award
Alessandro Michele, Creative Director at Gucci, will be awarded the Trailblazer Award on Monday night. He is being honoured for his visionary work to date at the iconic label, continuing to expand the scope of what a traditional luxury fashion brand should be.
Independent British Designer Award
Simone Rocha
Instagram content
Special Recognition Award
Dylan Jones
Leaders of Change
The 2021 accolades included fifteen Leaders of Change; the designers, brands, creatives, and individuals who created positive change within the fashion industry this past year under three categories: Environment, People and Creativity.
Creativity Honourees:
- Alessandro Michele
- DemnaGvasalia
- Jonathan Anderson
- Kim Jones OBE
- Virgil Abloh
Environment Honourees:
- Ahluwalia
- Bethany Williams
- Gabriela Hearst
- Phoebe English
- Stella McCartney OBE
People Honourees:
- Edward Enninful OBE
- Harris Reed
- Kenya Hunt
- Samuel Ross
- Telfar Clemens
For more from Glamour UK's Fashion Editor Charlie Teather, follow her on Instagram @charlieteather.
