The British Fashion Council has announced the Fashion Awards 2026 nominees, officially setting the stage for one of the biggest nights on the fashion calendar. Announced on September 16, the shortlist brings together some of the industry’s most prominent creative directors with a new generation of British designers making their mark across the global fashion landscape.
The Fashion Awards 2026 will take place on November 30 at London’s Royal Albert Hall, celebrating the designers and creative talent responsible for shaping fashion throughout the year. Organized by the BFC and once again presented by Pandora, the ceremony will recognize established names working at major international houses alongside emerging voices pushing British fashion in new directions.
This year’s announcement covers four categories: Designer of the Year, British Womenswear Designer of the Year, British Menswear Designer of the Year, and the Vanguard Award. The Fashion Awards 2026 nominees were selected by an 18-member jury made up of critics, editors, buyers, and other leading industry figures.
Designer Of The Year Nominees
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The British Fashion Council’s Designer of the Year category recognizes a British or international designer who has made an outstanding impact on the global fashion industry in 2026. The six-name shortlist includes creative directors overseeing some of the world’s most influential luxury houses.
- Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent
- Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row
- Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford
- Matthieu Blazy for Chanel
- Michael Rider for Celine
- Sarah Burton for Givenchy
Sarah Burton’s inclusion is notable given her double nomination this year. In addition to Designer of the Year, she is shortlisted for British Womenswear Designer of the Year. Burton previously won the latter category at the 2025 Fashion Awards after taking the creative helm at Givenchy in September 2024.
British Womenswear Designer Of The Year Nominees
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The British Womenswear Designer of the Year award recognizes a leading British womenswear designer who has demonstrated significant impact on the global fashion industry during 2026.
The Fashion Awards 2026 nominees in the category are:
- Clare Waight Keller for Uniqlo
- Erdem Moralıoğlu for Erdem
- Louise Trotter for Bottega Veneta
- Sarah Burton for Givenchy
- Simone Rocha for Simone Rocha
The shortlist reflects the range of ways British designers are influencing the international fashion conversation. It includes independent creative voices as well as designers directing womenswear at some of the industry’s most established global brands.
British Menswear Designer Of The Year Nominees
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The menswear category brings together five designers whose work has contributed to the evolution of British menswear in 2026.
- Foday Dumbuya for Labrum
- Kiko Kostadinov for Kiko Kostadinov
- Nick Wakeman for Studio Nicholson
- Simon Holloway for Dunhill
- Simone Rocha for Simone Rocha
For Rocha, the nomination marks a second appearance on this year’s shortlist, following her inclusion in the British Womenswear Designer of the Year category. Foday Dumbuya’s nomination also follows Labrum’s BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund win in June, which came with a £100,000 grant and a year-long mentorship.
Vanguard Award Nominees
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While the other categories recognize designers who have made significant contributions to the industry, the Vanguard Award looks specifically toward the future. The award recognizes a designer at the forefront of a new wave in British fashion who is helping shape what comes next.
The British Fashion Council has named four designers as this year’s Vanguard nominees:
- Conner Ives for Conner Ives
- Ellie Misner for Ellie Misner
- Steve O Smith for Steve O Smith
- Tolu Coker for Tolu Coker
The category gives the ceremony a dedicated platform for emerging talent, highlighting designers whose work is helping broaden the creative direction of contemporary British fashion.
Sandra Choi To Receive Special Recognition Award
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Alongside the competitive categories, the British Fashion Council has confirmed that Sandra Choi OBE will receive a Special Recognition Award at The Fashion Awards 2026. The Jimmy Choo creative director is being honored for her exceptional contribution to the global fashion industry and her three decades of work shaping the luxury accessories house.
Choi’s recognition also reflects her wider contribution to the industry through mentorship and leadership. Her award will be presented during the November 30 ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
What To Expect From The Fashion Awards 2026
With the Fashion Awards 2026 nominees now announced, attention shifts to the ceremony itself and the winners who will be revealed on the night. The event remains the primary fundraising occasion for the BFC Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting the future of British fashion through education, grants, and business mentoring.
From major international creative directors to designers defining the next generation of British fashion, this year’s shortlist offers a broad snapshot of the industry’s creative landscape. The British Fashion Council will reveal the winners across the announced categories when The Fashion Awards 2026 arrives at the Royal Albert Hall on November 30.
Featured image: British fashion Council
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