It’s not very often that all of the global glitterati gather under one roof to celebrate the best of the fashion industry, but the Fashion Awards is one such event.

Held annually at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the award ceremony is a celebration of the best in the style biz and, after a pandemic-induced hiatus, the event was back last night and better than ever.

The ceremony, which was hosted by none other than Pose star Billy Porter, began with Idris Elba reading Maya Angelou’s poem When Great Trees Fall in honour of the late designer Virgil Abloh. The founder of Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear was named one of 15 “leaders of change” at the awards, accolades that were decided weeks before the ceremony and which celebrate individuals who have “created positive change within the fashion industry in the past year”, said the British Fashion Council. 

Following last year’s virtual celebration, which saw 20 trailblazers honoured for their contribution to the fashion industry, this year’s ceremony followed the Brit Awards’ lead by dropping its gendered British Designer of the Year Menswear and British Designer of the Year Womenswear awards, and opting to keep only designer of the year, which was won by Kim Jones for his work at Dior Men and Fendi, where he designs womenswear.

Other winners on the night included this year’s LVMH prize winner and Rihanna-approved designer Nensi Dojaka, who took home the British Fashion Council’s Foundation award, which has previously been won by Christopher Kane, Erdem and Wales Bonner. Queen of tulle Simone Rocha also took home the award for Best Independent Brand. 

Naturally, it wouldn’t be a fashion ceremony without an impeccably-clad red carpet, and last night’s was no exception.

From Maria Sharapova, who wore an Iris van Herpen couture dress crafted entirely from recycled Evian bottles to Lianne la Havas, Leomie Anderson and Griff, all of whom apparently received the unofficial Narnia-ready, winter-whites dress memo and arrived clad in their cleanest-cut Sunday best. 

Images: courtesy of Getty.