Monday, 28 November 2011

British Fashion Awards 2011 - what do you think of the results?

So, the British Fashion Awards are over for another year. Here's who scooped the top accolades, and my responses:

Emerging talent award – ready to wear: Mary Katrantzou (this was to be expected. With her LFW status as the darling of the new design breed, and a diffusion line for Topshop, she was a dead cert here, but it's well deserved. I will be interested to see if she can keep her shapes evolving, though).

Emerging talent award – accessories: Tabitha Simmons (with lots of historical references and vintage nods in previous collections, particularly SS11, she's a designer who mixes the past and present effectively).

Emerging talent award – menswear: Christopher Raeburn (he's a great innovator and he's been on the ethical fashion radar for quite some time. I'm glad he's now got mainstream recognition. His recent LFW exhibition was really strong, with pieces suspended on ropes).

Accessory designer: Charlotte Olympia (I have previously posted about being a fan of hers, so unsurprisingly I'm pleased that she's been given this award. She keeps generating new ideas and updating the classics without compromising her integrity).

Menswear designer: Kim Jones (simplicity and edginess: two of my favourite menswear adjectives. He fits well with both of these descriptions, so it's a thumbs up from me).

Designer brand: Victoria Beckham (she works incredibly hard and really does know her fashion, contrary to her previous dalliances with WAG style and co-ordinating husband and wife ensembles. I never thought I'd call her an icon, but she truly is).

Model: Stella Tennant (yes, she's good, but I'd have preferred a buck in the trend of the last few years, which has been pale and interesting blonde women. Jourdan Dunn's triumphant win in 2008 seems ages ago. I feel like it's time for the BFAs to honour a more diverse image of British fashion modelling).

BFC outstanding achievement in fashion: Paul Smith (the creator of an empire that still generates quirky ideas to this day).

Isabella Blow award for fashion creator: Sam Gainsbury (having worked on the great Fashion Rocks events, which combined music and style, and more recently launching the McQ line for Alexander McQueen, she's also responsible for countless other fashion events. It's great that behind-the-scenes creatives are acknowledged - not just the designers themselves).

Red carpet award: Stella McCartney (another dead cert, as she's giving us an anniversary exhibition at LFW in February that will be separate from her catwalk collection, and there'll be a retrospective too).

Designer of the year: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen (after all the Kate Middleton hype, who else could it have gone to? Basically I think this would have gone to whoever had designed the Duchess of Cambridge's dress. Yes, Sarah Burton has been great taking over the helm at McQueen, but this award would have been all about that marriage).

New establishment award: Christopher Kane (intelligent, humble and very creative; I love seeing what he and sister Tammy come up with next. They're a design duo to be reckoned with).

British style award brought to you by Vodafone: Alexa Chung (well, she does represent the style ambitions of teenage girls across Britain, but I find her a little predictable. Sorry. Would have liked this to go to someone a bit more boundary-pushing, such as Paloma Faith).

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What are your thoughts on these results? Do they feel representative of modern fashion to you, or do you feel like someone is missing from the list?

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