Tue 3rd December
Stella Tennant in Armani
Ama Lou in Bottega Veneta
Harris Reed in Harris Reed
Rihanna in Fenty with A$AP Rocky
Julie Roberts in Armani with Giorgio Armani
Kylie Minogue in Christopher Kane
Bel Powley in JW Anderson
Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen
Adut Akech in Valentino
Shailene Woodley in Moncler GeniusIn the words of the inimitable Marvin Gaye: let’s get it on… At the arguably most star-studded Fashion Awards to date, last night saw everyone from Tom Cruise to Holly Willoughby enter the Royal Albert Hall. And a lot of celebs means a lot of frocks and smocks, which means A LOT to talk about. So lest waste no time and dig deep into our finely selected top 10 best-dressed Fashion Award attendees. We’ll start by giving special credit to one out-of-category attendee – our Editrix Sophia Neophitou who wore a Giorgio Armani velvet men’s suit jacket with matching accessories and a slinky black dress underneath, as she sat at the Italian brand’s table.
But who kept her company there? Stella Tennant in an exquisite column dress in jewel tones, immaculately crafted out of fringe and crystals for the Armani Privé AW15 collection. When it comes to the biggest winners of the night, Bottega Veneta aren’t your usual evening-glam brand. But it was emerging musician Ama Lou who proved it can indeed be done as she wore a leather twinset, worn with the signature pouch clutch in white fringe and a pair of matching sandal-brogue hybrids. Another point for the gender-bending dressing came thanks to fashion designer Harris Reed who basically treated this red carpet as an extension of the 2019 Met Gala’s pink carpet, with a feather-y jumpsuit, some chunky platforms and – yes you see it right – a glitter hairline. It really doesn’t get more camp than this.
Rihanna was also wearing her own designs – a custom Fenty mint mini dress with a matching see-through jacket/ cape/ throw/ bolero/ something and a lot of diamanté bejewelling the sexiest cleavage in the world. And we spy a new accessory of the season – A$AP Rocky, or any other mega-talented supportive best friend who happens to look great in a boxy suit. In fact, duos on the carpet are apparently the next big thing – Julia Roberts stunned in yet another one of Giorgio Armani’s creations. A couture bejewelled black jumpsuit from the AW19 Armani Privé collection looked like a contemporary chapter in the long-running story Roberts and Mister Armani have been developing for decades. The two walked the carpet together, with the only thing glistening more than their smiles being the turquoise earrings dangling on the actress’ ears.
But that’s for the duos we know – what about the unexpected ones? Legendary pocket Venus Kylie Minogue strutted down in a neon yellow lace Christopher Kane number, worn with a black oversized blazer and that jelly pouch we all need in our hands just about now. Actress who we can’t get enough of on The Morning Show Bel Powley looked like a fashion superhero in a full look taken from JW Anderson’s latest catwalk outing. What’s her superpower? Not sure, but it probably has something to do with the crystal tube bra she’s wearing over her dress. Equally bedazzled but slightly more classique, Naomi Campbell proved (yet again) why exactly she deserved the Fashion Icon award she was being given last night, in a custom, see-through Alexander McQueen frock. Her fellow supermodel Adut Akech picked up the much-deserved Model of the Year laureate in a grass green Valentino bow gown and looked incredible while doing so, but it was actress Shailene Woodley that shut the house down in another one of Pierpaolo Piccioli’s creations. A puffer mega-gown from his Moncler Genius collection was at the same time shocking, but also probably probably one of the most appropriate looks of the night. Have you seen the dropping temperatures?
And then of course, it’s the host of the night. Tracee Ellis Ross brought not one, not two, but five looks into the battling arena of the Fashion Awards. And for that, we exclude her from the competition of best-dressed in order to credit her with a special award. We’re still not sure what the name is (maybe Queen of the Night?), but she absolutely deserves it. First she walked down the red carpet in a handkerchief-hemmed Loewe frock, then opened the night in a Richard Quinn retro floral number. She next came out in a full green brocade Erdem lewk, finished off with a Spanish hat with a pink ribbon. To finish off the night, she trusted a pile of sequins – a classic disco silver gown by Gucci paid homage to her mother Diana, while the final look, a red tiered Simone Rocha dress proved there’s more than just one way of doing glitz.
All in all, a pretty major night, completed with some impressive red carpet moments to remember. And now off to the next – Oscars are just around the corner!
