The British Fashion Council’s 2024 Awards Were More International Than Ever

LONDON — The United Nations of style regrouped on Monday evening at the Royal Albert Hall with the Fashion Awards, whose winners hailed from around the world. 

The event was more international than ever with Rihanna, Jamie Dornan, Joe Jonas, Glen Powell and Courtney Love in attendance, and home talents including Jonathan Anderson, Grace Wales Bonner, Stephen Jones and Simone Rocha taking home the big awards.

International brands made lots of noise, too, with Tom Ford winning the Outstanding Achievement Award, and Gucci’s creative director Sabato De Sarno scooping a special recognition award for the brand’s cruise 2025 “We Will Always Have London” ad campaign, shot by Nan Goldin.

The campaign starred Kelsey Lu and Debbie Harry, who was the surprise performer on the night dressed in head-to-toe in Gucci’s Rosso Ancora red shade. She sang “Heart of Glass” and a cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.”

Goldin was emotional on stage, saying “I can only photograph people I love. I am so grateful. I never thought I’d be in front of a fashion crowd, I’m very nervous.” She and Lu collected the award on behalf of Gucci, and the photographer finished her speech saying, “Free Palestine.”

A$AP Rocky took home the Cultural Innovator award for his support of U.K. designers and retail.

“It’s about f—ing time. I didn’t write s–t, it’s going to come from the heart. Five years ago, I was invited by my lady because she was accepting an award and I was in the crowd thinking, ‘I could do this too.’ Being a cultural innovator means so much to be as a rapper, I think the lines are definitely merged now,” he said.

He was referring to his partner Rihanna, who five years ago won the Urban Luxe award for Fenty.

Issa Rae, the American actress, writer and producer, was the recipient of the Pandora Leader of Change Award, presented by her friend and former “Insecure” costar Yvonne Orji.

Rae said she is “constantly trying to be present and to make a change to the best of my ability and lead in efforts. It’s not always welcome, it’s not always trendy and it’s not always the norm, but it really is up to us and spaces like this make it acceptable to do so.”

Maria Sharapova presented Remo Ruffini, chairman and chief executive officer of Moncler SpA, with the Trailblazer Award for his leadership and creative vision in developing disruptive ideas at the company, in particular Moncler Genius.

“Creativity is not an individual act. It is a collective work, and [it] is the language of possibility,” said Ruffini, who previously picked up the Business Leader award at the event in 2019.

Anderson won Designer of the Year, the biggest award of the night, for the second time in a row for his job as creative director of Loewe and founder of JW Anderson. It was Jamie Dornan who announced the award, dressed in a slimline black suit from Loewe.

“It’s nice to see Irish people are back in vogue,” quipped Anderson, a native of Northern Ireland. The designer also thanked Sidney Toledano, senior adviser to Bernard Arnault at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

He said Toledano always “picks up the phone when there’s a problem.” He also offered advice to all the students in the room. He said “the great thing about fashion is that we all go out of fashion, so there are loads of jobs to be taken” in this room. “Come and get them because it equals progress.”

Stephen Jones picked up the award for British Accessories Designer, a new category that’s meant to highlight the country’s jewelry, millinery and footwear creators.

“Wouldn’t this make a gorgeous hat?” said the milliner as he jauntily held up the spiral-shaped award against his black beret.

Another Brit winner on the night was Simone Rocha, winning British Womenswear Designer of the Year for her work at her eponymous label. She was presented with the award by “Gossip Girl” actor Kelly Rutherford and “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan.

The designer said she was particularly proud of her work with women, and encouraged the room to think of displaced mothers and children.

Grace Wales Bonner won the award for British Menswear Designer of the Year for her eponymous label. The award was presented to her by former professional footballer Ian Wright. She was unable to attend the event, and singer-songwriter Tems accepted the award on her behalf. 

The night was also a celebration of young and future talents. 

The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator was handed to American photographer Tyler Mitchell. The 29-year-old artist said standing on the stage was “very surreal” for someone from Atlanta. “Nobody in my family was doing any artistic. I really am the UFO of my family.”

He added that London was the city that pushed him creatively and it’s where designers such as Anderson and Rocha gave him some of his earliest opportunities. 

American model Alex Consani, who has starred in campaigns for Jacquemus and Marc Jacobs, won Model of the Year.

“I’m the first trans woman to win this award. I can’t accept it without thanking the females who came before me and specifically the Black trans community that really fought for the space,” said the 21-year-old model as she picked up the award presented to her by fellow model Ashley Graham and American actress Nava Mau.

Designers Priya Ahluwalia and Marco Capaldo of 16Arlington picked up awards for New Establishment Menswear and New Establishment Womenswear, respectively.

Capaldo thanked his parents and dedicated the gong to Kikka Cavenati, his partner in both life and work, who died suddenly in 2021.

“She should be up here accepting this award with me, this one is for you Keeks,” he added.

Chopova Lowena designers Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons, who won the New Establishment Womenswear award last year, picked up another gong for the BFC Foundation Designer Award.

The ceremony also recognized Margaret Barbour, chair of the British fashion label J Barbour & Sons, with a special recognition award for her contributions to the fashion industry and long-standing commitment to British excellence and innovation.

“I just had to learn how to make it prosper,” said Barbour, who took over the company in 1968 after her husband died suddenly, and has led it for more than 50 years.

Alexa Chung, who regularly wears Barbour jackets at the British music festival Glastonbury, and who has designed her own collections for the brand, presented Barbour with the award.

Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou picked up a Special Recognition award for her work on 10 Magazine, which launched in 2000.

“There’s only two things missing tonight, my amazing mama and papa. Be fearless and never take ‘no’ for an answer. I feel like the luckiest person to call this industry my own,” said the cheery editor.

The publication has since expanded into men’s fashion, and launched global editions in Australia, the U.S., Japan and, most recently, Germany.

The night was colored with love throughout, from the winners’ speeches to the performances by Chloe and Halle Bailey singing the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody.”

With contributions from Lily Templeton, Samantha Conti and Tianwei Zhang.