BFC announces nominees for The Fashion Awards 2025

Award categories announced include Designer of the Year, British Womenswear Designer, British Menswear Designer and the Vanguard Award. This year, the BFC invited a jury of 19 distinguished critics, editors and buyers to finalise the shortlist of nominees, ensuring that all nominees meet the highest standards of quality, creativity and diversity. These will now be presented to a voting committee of leading industry members to review the shortlist and cast votes confidentially to balance perspectives and guarantee impartiality, the BFC said in a press release.

Designer of the Year recognises a British or international designer whose innovative collections have made a notable impact on the industry, defining the shape of global fashion. The 2025 nominees include Glenn Martens for his work at Diesel and Maison Margiela, Jonathan Anderson for Dior and JW Anderson, and Martine Rose for her eponymous label. Also nominated are Miuccia Prada for Miu Miu, Rick Owens for his continued influence through his namesake brand, and Willy Chavarria for his powerful and boundary-pushing work at Willy Chavarria.

British Womenswear Designer of the Year celebrates a leading British womenswear designer who has made a global impact through innovation and creativity, shaping the international womenswear landscape. This year’s nominees are Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault for KNWLS, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons for Chopova Lowena, and Erdem Moralioglu for ERDEM. Also recognised are Sarah Burton for her creative direction at Givenchy and Simone Rocha for her continued excellence with her eponymous brand.

British Menswear Designer of the Year honours a British menswear designer whose vision and creativity have shaped the international menswear scene. Nominees for 2025 include Craig Green for Craig Green, Foday Dumbuya for Labrum London, and Grace Wales Bonner for Wales Bonner. Also shortlisted are Kiko Kostadinov for his innovative namesake label, Nicholas Daley for his culturally rich menswear collections, and Stefan Cooke and Jake Burt for their collaborative work at Stefan Cooke.

The Vanguard Award recognises a designer at the forefront of a new wave in British fashion — a visionary creative demonstrating cultural leadership and global influence, helping to shape the future of the industry. This year’s nominees are Aaron Esh for Aaron Esh, Dilara Findikoglu for her bold and subversive label, and Feben for her namesake brand that blends identity and craftsmanship. Also nominated are Steve O Smith for his contemporary and emotionally resonant work, Tolu Coker for her powerful storytelling through design, and Torishéju Dumi for Torisheju, a brand gaining attention for its conceptual and culturally charged collections.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (RR)