Jodie Turner-Smith to Host Fashion Awards in London
British and Jamaican activist and actress Jodie Turner-Smith will host this year’s Fashion Awards, which are due to take place Monday evening at The Royal Albert Hall in London.
Caroline Rush, chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council, organizer of the annual fundraising spectacle and London Fashion Week, said: “Having taken the film industry by storm, her poise, grace and exceptional style has propelled her into the fashion industry, where her ability to evoke joy and communicate her authentic self through her red carpet looks has secured her authority on fashion’s global stage.”
More from WWD
The major prize of the night, the designer of the year award, will be given to a British or international designer whose collections have made “a notable impact on the industry, defining the shape of global fashion,” the British Fashion Council said in a statement.
Its nominees include Demna for Balenciaga, Johnathan Anderson for JW Anderson and Loewe, Matthieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta, Miuccia Prada, and Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino.
Designers competing for the independent British brand awards are Bianca Saunders, Erdem, JW Anderson, Molly Goddard and Wales Bonner.
The contestants for the BFC foundation award — which goes to a recipient or shortlist of the BFC’s support schemes, such as Newgen, the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, the BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund and the BFC Fashion Trust — include Ahluwalia, Chopova Lowena, Nensi Dojaka, S.S. Daley and Wales Bonner.
Nominees for the model of the year award include Adut Akech, Bella Hadid, Lila Moss, Paloma Elsesser and Quannah Chasinghorse.
Stylist and founder of Perfect magazine Katie Grand will be given the Isabella Blow award for fashion creator and outstanding achievement award, while Dazed Group’s Jefferson Hack will receive a special recognition award for cultural curation for empowering youth through creativity that night.
This year’s multicolored glass speers trophy is designed by artist Yinka Illori, jewelry company SkyDiamond, and glass design studio The Glass Foundry.
Diet Coke was named the principal partner of this year’s event earlier this month.
Best of WWD
