Following its digital-only edition in 2020, The Fashion Awards returned to the Royal Albert Hall tonight, hosted by Billy Porter and sponsored by TikTok. The event celebrates fashion’s role at the intersection of culture while recognising the exceptional individuals whose imagination and creativity have broken new ground in fashion globally over the past 12 months, and brands and businesses that have transformed the possibilities of fashion today.
The evening, hosted by Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winning, and Golden Globe-nominated actor, singer, director, composer, and playwright Billy Porter, celebrated fifteen Leaders of Change, two Awards, four Special Recognition Awards and a new Fashion Award for Metaverse Design.
The Fashion Awards 2021 opened with a tribute for the late Virgil Abloh by British actor Idris Elba who recited ‘When Great Trees Fall’, a poem by Maya Angelou.
Below we reveal The Fashion Awards winners, voted for by an international judging panel of industry experts of over 1000 people.
Designer of the Year:
Kim Jones for Dior Men and Fendi
BFC Foundation Award:
Nensi Dojaka
Special Recognition Award for Culture Commentary:
Dylan Jones
Outstanding Achievement Award:
Tommy Hilfiger
Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator:
IB Kamara
Trailblazer Award:
Alessandro Michele for Gucci
Leaders of Change
These were the 15 designers, brands, creatives, and individuals who created positive change within the fashion industry this past year under three categories: Environment, People and Creativity.
Creativity
Recognises designers and brands who made a global impact in the past years through their creativity in design, campaigns, collaborations and firm business foundation as well as defined the shape of global fashion.
Alessandro Michele for Gucci
Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga
Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson & LOEWE
Kim Jones OBE for Dior Men & Fendi
Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton Men & Off-White
Environment
Celebrates those who have made a significant contribution towards reducing the environmental impact of our industry to create positive change. They are the leaders and are setting the bar by exploring new business models, design principles, production processes, consumption, and disposal.
Bethany Williams for Bethany Williams
Gabriela Hearst for Chloé & Gabriela Hearst
Phoebe English for Phoebe English
Priya Ahluwalia for Ahluwalia
Stella McCartney OBE for Stella McCartney
People
Recognises those who have led change by encouraging equal, diverse, empowered workforces from head office to supply chain and shop floor. It focuses on the impact fashion has on communities.
Edward Enninful OBE
Harris Reed
Kenya Hunt
Samuel Ross
Telfar Clemens
The evening also included a number of Special Celebrations that showcased fashion’s role in culture at its best.
CHANEL was recognised for its pioneering commitment to arts and culture. In celebration, CHANEL hosted a special performance by dancer, actor and model Lil Buck. Since it was founded, CHANEL has championed new art forms, supported pathbreakers, and catalysed collaborations, believing in the transformative power of artists. With the launch of the podcast series CHANEL Connects, the CHANEL Culture Fund and the CHANEL Next Prize, the House is extending its century-long commitment to the freedom of creation and reaffirming the potential of artists to imagine ‘the next’.
The Fashion Awards also paid tribute to Fashion East and its talent and community from the past 20 years. Fashion East and Lulu Kennedy have cemented London’s tradition of being ahead of the curve; incubating, mentoring and platforming new design talent as they launch their brands while creating a space with no divisible lines between fashion, nightlife, and art, as well as conversations on gender, race, and sexuality.
As well as celebrating the incredible talents working in the fashion industry, The Fashion Awards also recognised the incredible legacy of pop and style icon, Kylie Minogue who performed Slow x Love To Love You Baby, The Infinite Disco version.
SEE MORE: THE FASHION AWARDS 2021: CELEBRITY RED CARPET LOOKS