Pierpaolo Piccioli Wins Designer of the Year at Fashion Awards in London
Italian brands and designers won big at the Fashion Awards in London on Monday night, with Pierpaolo Piccioli scooping Designer of the Year, Miuccia Prada winning Outstanding Achievement and Marco Bizzarri named top Business Leader for the third year in a row.
Italy’s victories didn’t end there: Gucci took home Brand of the Year during the black-tie gala at Royal Albert Hall. In 2016 the brand’s creative director, Alessandro Michele, won international accessories designer.
Some 4,000 guests attended the event, a mix of industry figures, members of the public and fashion students. They watched as Virgil Abloh for Off-White accepted the award for Urban Luxe, as Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga won Accessories Designer of the Year and as Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy took home British Designer of the Year Women’s Wear.
Craig Green scooped British Designer of the Year Men’s Wear, while Richard Quinn won for British Emerging Talent Women’s Wear and Samuel Ross of A-Cold-Wall won a similar prize for men’s wear. Kaia Gerber was named Model of the Year.
As reported, Kim Jones was named Trailblazer of 2018, a new award, Dame Vivienne Westwood was given the Swarovski Award for Positive Change, Parley for the Oceans accepted the Special Recognition Award for Innovation. The Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator went to Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
Winners were given a Swarovski crystal trophy, designed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye.
For the first time, the awards recognized 100 members of the young, global creative community with New Wave: Creatives. They include Hari Nef, Lil Miquela, Luka Sabbat, Brianna Capozzi and Ethan James Green, Mr. Bags and Anny Fan, photographers Leslie Zhang and Ziqian Wang and models Jing Wen and Ting Chen.
The BFC also pulled an international crowd of supporters on the night, with Eva Herzigová hosting interviews with some of the guests upon arrival and performances from Ellie Goulding singing a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman.”
Boy George paid tribute to Judy Blame and Michael Howells at the show’s finale. Music producer Fat Tony deejayed at the after party.
Awards presenters included Penélope Cruz, Uma Thurman, Brooke Shields, Robert Pattinson, Edie Campbell, Riz Ahmed, Jerry Hall, Saoirse Ronan, Karen Elson, Rosamund Pike and Kate Moss.
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