A Night of Talent and Legacy at the Fashion Awards 2025
London reaffirmed its reputation as fashion’s most unpredictable and culturally charged capital as the British Fashion Council unveiled the winners of The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora. The ceremony transformed the Royal Albert Hall into a stage where legacy and reinvention met, giving the night the momentum and clarity of a city that thrives on creativity.
Hosted by Colman Domingo, who moved between humour and gravity with enviable ease, the evening brought together designers, artists and industry insiders who shape how the world dresses and dreams. Celia Imrie opened the ceremony with her signature wit, setting the tone for a night that balanced warmth with the kind of ambition that defines British fashion.
Music played a defining role. Raye delivered a stripped back and emotional performance of her viral track Where Is My Husband before slipping into Cry Me a River with a level of control that held the room still. Tems debuted her new single Not Sure then closed with Me and U, turning the hall into something closer to an intimate concert. These moments acted as reminders that fashion’s strongest stories are often told through sound as much as silhouette.
One of the night’s most anticipated honours went to Chanel, which received a Special Recognition Award marking its one hundred years in the United Kingdom. The House used the milestone to revisit its British roots, partnering with the V and A and English National Ballet to revive the history of Le Train Bleu. The original Gabrielle Chanel designed costumes were restored, alongside Picasso’s vast stage cloth, before a newly choreographed interpretation of the ballet was performed live. The result was a rare blend of heritage and modernity that felt both archival and strikingly current.
The ceremony also marked a significant philanthropic shift. Delphine Arnault announced that DIOR will expand its contribution to the BFC Foundation Scholarships Programme by introducing a new annual MA Womenswear Scholarship, sitting alongside the existing Menswear award. DIOR will now commit to two scholarships each year, strengthening a long term investment in emerging talent.
This year’s trophy captured the night’s focus on craft and symbolism. Created by botanical set artist Alexander Young, a former BFC NEW WAVE Creative, the trophy used resin and Pandora’s fully recycled silver to echo the organic shapes seen in Pandora Essence. Designed to resemble a bloom in motion, it felt intentionally tied to ideas of growth and evolution.
Among the headline honours, Jonathan Anderson was named Designer of the Year for his work at DIOR and JW Anderson. Grace Wales Bonner won British Menswear Designer, while Sarah Burton was awarded British Womenswear Designer for her work at Givenchy. Dilara Findikoglu received The Vanguard Award for her imaginative and uncompromising vision. Brunello Cucinelli took home Outstanding Achievement and Sudanese model Anok Yai, whose rise has reshaped runway diversity and captivated the fashion world was named Model of the Year. Little Simz was celebrated as Cultural Innovator and Kate Hawley received Costume Designer of the Year.
The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator went to Rei Kawakubo, Adrian Joffe and Dickon Bowden, a trio whose influence has shaped the boundaries of fashion for decades. Sam Woolf received the Pandora Style Moment Award, while a posthumous Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award honoured Melanie Ward and was accepted by Corinne Smith. Additional Special Recognition Awards celebrated the twenty five year legacy of Fashion East, the fifteen year impact of the BFC Fashion Trust and Chanel’s centenary year in Britain.
The celebration continued into the night with an afterparty and a set by Donnie Sunshine, extending the energy of the ceremony into a more relaxed and celebratory space. Each portrait from the evening was photographed by Niall Hodson, adding a clean visual narrative to the night’s storytelling.
The Fashion Awards remain the central fundraiser for the BFC Foundation and this year’s ceremony reinforced what the organisation stands for. Talent development, cultural influence and the preservation of British fashion’s global impact remain at the heart of its work, and this year’s event made that mission feel more urgent and more inspiring than ever.
Photo by Giovanna P Sola