London’s famed museum of art and design, the Victoria and Albert, set the scene for the fourth annual WGSN Global Fashion Awards. The first two ceremonies were held in New York and last year saw the first stop off in London. We’re hoping for Paris next year at The Untitled Magazine, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Founded and directed by Lauretta Roberts, the awards are produced by the planet’s largest trend forecasting company and they have quickly become the event of the season, on a worldwide scale. Attendees and winners came from far and wide including Moscow, Mexico City, São Paulo, Beijing, Cartagena, New York, Moscow…the GFAs certainly do what it says on the tin.
Pic Shows: Amber Le Bon
Pic Credit: Dave Benett
Designers, retailers, editors and celebrities turned out in their fineries to usher in this year’s winners. After a champagne reception in the museum’s main hall with host, Cat Deeley, Amber Le Bon, Hilary Alexander, Laura Whitmore, Jodie Kidd, fashion and celebrity stylist, Rebekah Roy, Elle Catliff, milliner Stephen Jones, Gwendoline Christie from Game of Thrones and Susie Lau, a.k.a. Susie Bubble, attendees snaked around varied rooms brimming with art and antiquities and were delivered to the Raphael Room, which housed full-scale Renaissance designs commissioned by the Pope in 1515 – wow. With high domed ceilings and exquisitely set tables, guests dined on parsnip panna cotta, sea bass and Chambord chocolate spheres before the nineteen winners took to the stage to receive their Ejing Zhang-designed trophies.
Winners included Karl Lagerfeld for Best New Store, Erdem took home the coveted Catrice Womenswear Designer award and the Hall of Fame prize went to Burberry’s longstanding creative director and newly appointed CEO, Christopher Bailey.
Speaking of Catrice, the German cosmetics brand was used by catwalk make-up artists AOFM Pro, who did the make-for all VIPs and celebrities, and Catrice gave all guests a heaving bag full of everything from eyeliner to nail polish. On top of that, they had store-sized makeup shelving set up at the after party where revelers could help themselves to anything they liked. More mascara? Yes, please. After a few Imperial Collection vodka cocktails, taking one, or maybe even two of everything, was hard not to do.
The goodie bag also included a bespoke fragrance crafted by Takasago expressly for the GFAs. Mirroring the palette of the 2013 logo, the scent is called Purple Peony. An event with its own scent – we like that.
The complete list of the 2013 WGSN Global Fashion Awards is as follows:
Best multi-channel retailer: Topshop
Best New Store/Refit: Karl Lagerfeld in Paris, France
Best E-Store: THE OUTNET.COM
Best Store: Tsvetnoy Central Market in Moscow, Russia
Buying Team: NET-A-PORTER.COM
Sports/Activewear Design Team: Sweaty Betty
Intimates/Swim Design Team: Princesse tam.tam
iSKO Denim Design Team: G-Star RAW
Sustainable Design Team: Jeanologia
Preciosa Footwear & Accessories Design Team: Gandys
Kidswear Design Team: Gap Kids & Baby
Menswear Design Team: Acne Studios
Womenswear Design Team: & Other Stories
LYCRA® Future Designers Award: Lucy Gardner
Avery Dennison Emerging Fashion Brand: Emma J Shipley
Hall of Fame: Christopher Bailey, Burberry
Menswear Designer: Oliver Spencer
Catrice Womenswear Designer: Erdem Moralioğlu, Erdem
Footwear & Accessories Designer: Nicholas Kirkwood
For more details about the WGSN Global Fashion Awards, click here.
– Courtney Blackman for The Untitled Magazine