FASHION

For Two Days, London Was the Fashion Capital of the World

Thanks to the British Fashion Awards, which brought fashion designers and models–including an emotional, fresh-off-the-Victoria’s-Secret-runway Gigi Hadid–into town.

by Gianluca Longo

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Last week, the fashion industry flocked to Paris for the Victoria’s Secret fashion show and the Pirelli Calendar gala. But this week, it was all about London, thanks to the British Fashion Awards.

The celebration, this year honoring designer Molly Goddard, Gigi Hadid, Franca Sozzani, Bruce Weber and more–kicked off on Sunday with a traditional British roast. The lunch, which is not to be confused with a comedy routine, was held at the Mayfair private members club Little House. Upon arrival, guests such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Amber Valetta, and Joan Smalls were greeted with a spicy Bloody Mary. Man of the moment Jordan Barrett was talking to his fellow models about Christmas plans, while designer Alice Temperley contemplated a toffee sticky pudding with Alexa Chung, and Simone Rocha confessed how nervous she was as one of the nominees (spoiler, she won!). Gurum Gvesalia of Vetements arrived late hand in hand with Miroslava Duma, but not too late for desert.

That same evening, Lauren Santo Domingo and Dame Natalie Massenet hosted a cocktail party for the nominees in Moda Operandi’s pale pink showroom. The guest list was a who’s who of today’s fashion, including Anya Hindmarch, Nicholas Kirkwood, Emilia Wickstead, Mary McCartney, Tory Burch, Rosie Assoulin, Peter Dundas, and a pregnant Sabine Getty. Meanwhile, Donatella Versace presented her new book, Versace, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in front of hundreds of fashion lovers, ranging from the aspirational (lots of students) to the established (stylist Jacob K and writer Suzy Menkes).

Gigi Hadid, Naomi Campbell, and More Celebrated the 2016 British Fashion Awards

Naomi Campbell at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Alexa Chung and Daisy Lowe at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Alice Temperley and Nicholas Kirkwood at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Giovanna Battaglia and Nick Knight at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Konstantinos Katalakinos and Jean-Paul Gaultier at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Mulberry’s Johnny Coca at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Maye Musk at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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David Koma and Caroline Rush at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Joan Smalls, Bruce Weber, Jordan Barrett and Amber Valletta at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Tory Burch at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Simone Rocha and Molly Goddard at the nominees’ lunch hosted by the British Fashion Council on Sunday.

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Maye Musk at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Natalie Massenet at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Laura Bailey at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Sabine and Joseph Getty at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Giovanna Battaglia at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Ev Bousis and Peter Dundas at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Amy Smilovic at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Emilia Wickstead, Lauren Santo Domingo, and Jo Ellison at the cocktail party held in honor of the 2016 Fashion Awards on Sunday night.

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Gigi and Yolanda Hadid at the 2016 British Fashion Awards.

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Kate Moss attends The Fashion Awards 2016 on December 5, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

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Salma Hayek at the 2016 British Fashion Awards.

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Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Lily Donaldson in Burberry at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Aluna Francis of AlunaGeorge in Vivienne Westwood at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Adwoa Aboah in Molly Goddard at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Lady Gaga attends The Fashion Awards 2016 on December 5, 2016 in London, United Kingdom.

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Karlie Kloss in Stella McCartney at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Joan Smalls in Baja East at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Finally, the awards ceremony that everyone was waiting for took place on Monday evening at London’s Royal Albert Hall, which was covered in Swarovski crystals for the occasion.

The show had many highlights, but none more emotional than when Donatella Versace presented Gigi Hadid with the International Model of the Year Award. “To Bruce [Weber] and Carine [Roitfeld], who started my career when no one else knew who I was, I can’t believe that I’m sitting her with you today,” she said, with tears in her eyes. “To everyone, who has been so genuine, and looked beyond what the rest of the world looked for, that has meant so much to me. You guys know who I am, and that to me means so much, so thank you for inspiring me, and for teaching me to look beyond – and for being the most amazing industry I could ever ask to be a part of; you guys are a dream come true. So thank you so much.”

Weber, too, was in the spotlight. The photographer received the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator by David Bailey and James Jagger. Designer Tom Ford presented Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani with the award for The Positive Change, and Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia took home the prize for International Ready to Wear Designer of the year award.

After many earnest expressions of mutual admiration, it was time to party. Models Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Edie Campbell, and Adwoa Aboah joined photographer Tim Walker, Molly Goddard (who won the award for British Emerging Talent) and Brandon Maxwell (who had designed Lady Gaga’s black dress for the occasion) at the Chiltern Fire House, a London hot spot, to keep the night going.

Milan, it’s your move now.

Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, and Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Gang Top the Best Dressed at the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards

Kate Moss at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Gigi Hadid in Atelier Versace at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Karlie Kloss in Stella McCartney at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Anna Cleveland in Jean Paul Gaultier at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Joan Smalls in Baja East at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Lily Donaldson in Burberry at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Salma Hayek in Gucci at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Adwoa Aboah in Molly Goddard at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Aluna Francis of AlunaGeorge in Vivienne Westwood at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London, England, December 2016.

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Watch Gigi Hadid reveal the secret to her signature walk: