British Fashion Council Reveals the Winners of the Fashion Awards 2023 Presented by Pandora

We are thrilled to reveal the winners of The Fashion Awards 2023 (TFA) presented by Pandora. Organised by the BFC, the event is the primary fundraiser for the BFC Foundation Charity and celebrates the role of fashion at the intersection of culture and entertainment, spotlighting creative talent and telling the stories of the year in fashion through the lens of purpose, excellence, and creativity.

The evening, hosted by British broadcaster Maya Jama and musical artist Kojey Radical, celebrated 16 awards. TFA nominees and winners are voted for by an international judging panel made up of over 1000 industry experts.

The Red Carpet LIVE served by smartwater was hosted by American image architect Law Roach and fashion commentator Julia Hobbs. Watch the highlights here.

The awards ceremony kicked off in style, with global superstar Usher welcoming the audience of leading designers, artists, creatives, and tastemakers for a night celebrating the global fashion community, asking “How does fashion make you feel?”.

British DJ Taylah Elaine known for her exhilarating sets everywhere from Fabric, Boiler Room and Glastonbury, took guests on a disco-inspired journey for the pre-party.

The multi-hyphenate artist, singer/dancer/actor, METTE, opened the awards performing her hit single “Van Gogh”. ​​As an ode to the video which was nominated at this year’s UK Music Video Awards, METTE’s David Koma suit was torn away by six back-up dancers, revealing a bra bespoke with 44 Pandora Lab Grown Diamonds.

Having been awarded the inaugural Cultural Innovator Award, Sam Smith took to the stage for a surprise performance - a special rendition of “Him” and Grammy Award-Winning global hit, “Unholy”. Sam wore a custom black dress designed by Vivienne Westwood, as they entered the stage accompanied by a choir of 28 singers.

The Fashion Awards Afterparty was hosted by Skepta, music icon and Founder and Creative Director of fashion label, Mains - which made a triumphant return in 2023 after a four-year hiatus. By carving his own path in both fashion and music, Skepta continues to redefine industry norms, setting the stage for a new era of creativity and self-expression.

Valentino Garavani was honoured for his Outstanding contribution to fashion. This was celebrated with a fashion show of 24 of the most iconic red dresses to a backdrop of: [b"An evening at the opera with Valentino"[/b], the ballet which was filmed last month in his hometown, at the city of Voghera, which dedicated its theater to him. Music by Micka Luna.  Ballet conceived and directed by Eleonora Abbagnato in collaboration with Daniele Cipriani. Gwyneth Paltrow presented the award to his long-time friend Mr Giammetti.

The British fashion industry paid tribute to Dame Vivienne Westwood and her fearless approach to design and activism and recognised Joe Casely-Hayford with a posthumous Special Recognition Award for his incredible contributions to fashion and culture.

TFA celebrated this year’s NEW WAVE: Creatives cohort. The accolade represents 50 of the most innovative and inspiring young creative talents from around the world spanning continents and creative disciplines. Explore the full list of NEW WAVE: Creatives here.

Each winner received a unique trophy designed by stylist, art director and 2022 NEW WAVE: Creative Julie Liu in collaboration with British glass production company World of Glass.

The official winner’s portraits were photographed by Ghanaian photographer and previous NEW WAVE: Creative, Derrick Ofosu Boateng and can be downloaded here.

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Designer of the Year Award

Recognises a British or international designer whose innovative collections have made a notable impact on the industry, defining the shape of global fashion.

Winner: Jonathan Anderson for JW Anderson and LOEWE

Presented by: Josh O’Connor

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British Womenswear Designer Award

Recognises a leading British womenswear designer who has consistently made a global impact with their innovative and creative designs, shaping the burgeoning international womenswear landscape.

Winner: Maximilian Davis for Ferragamo

Presented by: Chioma Nnadi

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British Menswear Designer Award

Recognises a leading British menswear designer who has consistently made a global impact with their innovative and creative designs, shaping the burgeoning international menswear landscape.

Winner: Martine Rose for Martine Rose

Presented by: Little Simz

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BFC Foundation Designer Award

Recognises a BFC Foundation initiative designer who has had a major impact on global fashion over the past year.

Winner: Conner Ives

Presented by: Dan Levy

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New Establishment Womenswear Award

Recognises a womenswear designer who has created a new movement in British fashion and has had a sustained impact on the industry globally.

Winner: Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena for Chopova Lowena

Presented by: Simone Ashley

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New Establishment Menswear Award

Recognises a menswear designer who has created a new movement in British fashion and has had a sustained impact on the industry globally.

Winner: Bianca Saunders

Presented by: Precious Lee

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Outstanding Achievement Award

Celebrates the creative contribution of an individual to the fashion industry, who throughout their illustrious career has constantly shaped and reshaped the fashion world through their innovation and creativity.

Winner: Valentino Garavani

Presented by: Gwyneth Paltrow

Accepted by: Mr Giammetti

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Model of the Year Award

Recognises the global impact of a model who, over the last 12 months, has dominated the industry, with an influence that transcends the catwalk.

Winner: Paloma Elsesser

Presented by: Damson Idris

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Special Recognition Award for Special Recognition Award for Contribution to the Fashion Industry

Honours outstanding contribution to the fashion industry.

Winner: Charlotte Tilbury

Presented by: Amal Clooney

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Special Recognition Award for Championing Young Designer Talent

Honours outstanding contribution to the fashion industry and securing the pipeline of London’s fashion talent.

Winner: Sarah Mower

Presented by: Gwendoline Christie

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Special Recognition Award

Honours outstanding contribution to the fashion industry.

Winner: Sarah Burton

Presented by: Edward Enninful

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Posthumous Special Recognition Award

Recognises outstanding contribution to culture and the fashion industry.

Winner: Joe Casely-Hayford

Presented by: Paapa Essiedu

Accepted by: Charlie Casely-Hayford

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Cultural Innovator Award

Celebrates a leading innovator and imagemaker in the entertainment industry, who over the course of the year, has created viral fashion moments which have had a profound impact on the fashion industry and wider culture.

Winner: Sam Smith

Presented by: Lena Dunham

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Trailblazer Award

Celebrates the very best innovators and creatives in fashion, whose work in the past year has significantly shaped the industry.

Winner: Edward Enninful

Presented by: Jodie Comer & Stormzy

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The Pandora Leader of Change Award

Celebrates a person who leads with innovation to create positive change globally. They consistently challenge the status quo. Their work is empowering, progressive and forward-thinking. They use their platform positively shifting perceptions as a result of their deep commitment to moving the dial when it comes to authentic representation.

Winner: Michaela Coel

Presented by: Pamela Anderson

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Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator

Recognises the very best innovators and creatives in fashion, celebrating invaluable contributions that have changed the entire fashion landscape.

Winner: Campbell Addy

Presented by: Ib Kamara

The event is the primary fundraiser of the BFC Foundation (Registered Charity Number: 1185152), which supports the future growth and success of the British fashion industry by focusing on education, grant-giving, and business mentoring. In the financial year 2022/2023, the BFC remitted over £1.2M in funds to designers and scholars.

The generosity and commitment of partners, suppliers and supporters is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging their support for The Fashion Awards 2023 presented by Pandora alongside our Official Partners: Don Julio, Getty Images, Moët & Chandon, Royal Salute, smartwater and The Peninsula London.