Amongst other things, the Dazed Fashion team has spent most of 2024 arguing about whether the unadulterated influx of archival fashion on the red carpet is all that necessary. So much so, in fact, that we even went head-to-head to debate if it all should be left in the vault once and for all. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have our answer to that debate. Though both sides may have made some good points, Rihanna’s appearance at The 2024 Fashion Awards tonight just tipped the scale in archive fashion’s favour – because, if you have the badgal herself on side, you’re definitely on the winning team.
Arm in arm with husband A$AP Rocky, Rih materialised on the carpet in swathes of turquoise fur and a wide-brimmed sombrero-sized hat perched on her head, one that was also covered in a matching aquamarine pelt. Though the look bore a striking resemblance to the Cookie Monster, Rih hadn’t become a Sesame Street trophy hunter overnight – the ensemble was lifted directly from Christian Lacroix’s AW02 couture collection, originally worn by Raquel Zimmerman at Paris Fashion Week back in July 2002.
Though we didn’t know until the last minute that she was coming, Rih arrived at London’s Royal Albert Hall in support of her husband A$AP Rocky, recipient of tonight’s Cultural Innovator Award which celebrates a leading image-maker who creates “viral fashion moments which have had a profound impact on the fashion industry and wider culture.” Dressed in an oversized navy Moncler suit/tracksuit hybrid, Rocky looked as slick as he always does, but wasn’t afraid to play second fiddle to his wife’s more ostentatious offering.
Elsewhere on the carpet, UK talent was heavily represented (this was the British Fashion Awards until 2017, after all), with honorary Londoner Caroline Polachek donning a gothic McQueen gown, Nia Archives going for a youthful Chopova Lowena skirt set, Alex Consani draped in a Dilara Findikoglu Union Jack, and Halle Bailey tapping Ellie Misner for her pearlescent creation. Elsewhere, Kai-Isaiah Jamal also went for McQueen, a bright white suit from Seán McGirr’s SS25 collection, perennial It-girl Julia Fox came strapped into her own Dilara dress, and host Maya Jama hit up US transplant Conner Ives for her mossy, embroidered mermaid gown.
To see all those looks and more, scroll through the gallery above for this year’s Fashion Awards’ best dressed