What you need to know about last night’s Fashion Awards

Last night, the British Fashion Awards were reborn. Ditching the ‘British’ to usher in a new international crowd and presented in partnership with Swarovski, the show took place at a fancy new venue – the Royal Albert Hall. With categories added and an eye-popping roster of guests, it was a tribute to fashion talent both at home and abroad. Here’s what went down.

FASHION’S BIGGEST STARS TURNED OUT

From the boxes, guests had the perfect birds-eye view of the names who were in attendance. Alessandro Michele swanned around in a brocade suit of his own creation, while you could spot Gurum and Demna Gvasalia (in his uniform of Reeboks and a cap, black tie be damned) chatting it up with Christopher Kane. Then there was Lotta Volkova in those spandex Balenciaga boots, Adwoa Aboah in bright green Molly Goddard, Gigi Hadid in a Versace couture number, and Lady Gaga in a black halterneck gown. Not to mention the likes of Anna Wintour, Tom Ford, Naomi Campbell and Mario Testino, all of whom were also in attendance.

LONDON’S YOUNG TALENTS WERE CELEBRATED

It was a great night for the city’s rising fashion stars. Molly Goddard, who’s famed for her tulle creations, landed the Emerging Talent award, beating out other names including Charles Jeffrey and Faustine Steinmetz. Meanwhile Craig Green, who’s known for his poetic approach to fashion, saw off hot competition that included Jonathan Anderson, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood to win the British Menswear Designer prize, presented to him by Lady Gaga. As for the British Womenswear Designer award, that accolade went to Simone Rocha, who paid tribute to the power of creativity in a time of conservatism in her acceptance speech.

DEMNA WON (TWICE)

“It doesn’t get any easier the second time around!” Joked a nervous Demna Gvasalia, accepting the award for International Ready-to-Wear Designer for his work so far at Balenciaga, and dedicating it to the men and women who wear their clothes. His first gong of the night (in the Urban Luxury category) was given to him and brother Gurum by none other than a possibly-less-than-sober Marilyn Manson, who called the two his friends. Not a quiet bunch, the Vetements crew went wild in a box opposite the stage cheering on their colleagues, as Demna delivered some choice advice: “Follow your heart.”

GIGI HADID, ALESSANDRO MICHELE AND SARAH BURTON WERE ALSO CELEBRATED

The awards also paid tribute to some of the industry’s more established talents including Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen who landed British Brand. Alessandro Michele was awarded International Accessories Designer for his work at Gucci by Jared Leto, who joked that the two (currently entangled in fashion’s most stylish bromance) are expecting a child together. Meanwhile social media It-girl turned supermodel Gigi Hadid won International Model, giving an emotional speech in which she thanked audience members Carine Roitfeld, Bruce Weber and Anna Wintour for believing in her and said that she worked in the “best industry in the world”.

THEY DID THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE

The viral video trend is not dead yet – although the Albert Hall isn’t quite large enough to fit the amount of people needed to break the record for the biggest Mannequin Challenge, last night the Awards attempted the “world’s most beautiful” version. Starting when Gigi Hadid accepted her International Model accolade from Donatella Versace, the entire hall froze as cameras panned over fashion royalty including Bruce Weber and Wintour.

JADEN SMITH THANKED THE INDUSTRY FOR ITS DIVERSITY

You’re hard pressed to find two siblings more stylish than the Smiths. Picking up the award on behalf of himself and his sister (and Dazed cover star) Willow for the category of New Fashion Icons, Jaden Smith acknowledged the awards for giving the prize to two African American siblings (“with dreadlocks!”). He thanked the fashion industry for its commitment to improving diversity, and, it turns out, speaks nothing like he tweets.

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