With September’s much-anticipated London Fashion Week (LFW) upon us, the crème de la crème of designers, fashion royalty, style icons, and supermodels are getting set to showcase their very finest attire and fashion-forward looks for the coming seasons. New for 2019, big names and brands, designers, and catwalk queens at the forefront of fashion are also looking forward to the inaugural World Fashion Awards (WFA).
Hot on the heels of London Fashion Week, the brand new global awards ceremony celebrates the very best fashion brands, designers, and outlets from around the world and takes place immediately after LFW at the prestigious Savoy London hotel.
The first annual World Fashion Awards will feature 100 designers and 75 models from 22 countries, showcasing their latest collections and rocking the runways. The awards itself is produced by the National Film Academy, the production team behind the esteemed National Film Awards UK, National Film & Television Awards USA and the World Banking Awards in aid of Diamond Children’s Trust charity, which supports children in undeveloped countries, and will be broadcast to over 32 countries via Fashion One.
Part of IEG Global, the new Awards, which are voted for by the public, celebrate the achievements of established and emerging fashion brands, outlets, designers, models, manufacturers, and influencers, and will commemorate some of the world’s leaders in fashion and icons who have created the most talked about and successful trends in the industry. The event will be held annually in London every September.
Fashion icons in the running
Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Manolo Blahnik, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Armani, Prada, Gucci, Philipp Plein, and Michael Kors all make the shortlist for this year’s first annual World Fashion Awards.
The nominees shortlisted for the International Fashion Icon Award include Naomi Campbell, Rihanna, Vivienne Westwood, Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Priyanka Chopra, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, while in the Best Collaboration category, celebrating the fantastic joint ventures that have taken place in the industry, Rihanna’s Fenty and LVHM go head-to-head with Yeezy x Adidas, Supreme x Louis Vuitton, Tommy x Zendaya, Dior x Kaws, Vivienne Westwood x Burberry, Rita Ora x Giuseppe Zanotti, Belstaff x McLaren, John Hardy x Adwoa Aboah, Vetements x Oakley and Berluti x Ferrari.
Keith Lemon & Louise Gookey to host
Winners of all categories will be announced at the glamorous awards ceremony, taking place on 18th September 2019 at The Savoy London, one of the capital’s most iconic hotels. Hosted by famous faces, including English TV entertainer, director, producer and writer, Keith Lemon, and TV presenter, Louise Gookey, the Awards are produced by the National Film Academy, the production team behind the prestigious National Film Awards UK, National Film & Television Awards USA and the World Banking Awards.
Lifetime achievement awards for Donatella Versace & Dame Mary Quant
World-famous fashion icons, Donatella Versace and Dame Mary Quant, are set to be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards. In contrast, fashion pioneer, Vivienne Westwood, will receive an Outstanding Contribution to Fashion Award at the annual opening event. As one of Britain’s most iconic fashion designers, Mary Quant, is famous for her work, which revolutionized British Fashion in the ’60s. Her post-war pieces added color to the bleak London streets, making them stand out from the crowd. From her eminent miniskirts to fun PVC rainwear, her designs empowered the youth and set the trends for what we see in fashion today.
“It’s such an honor to receive this award from the World Fashion Awards,” says Dame Mary Quant. “It has been a privilege to have spent my life doing what I love and enjoy with so many extraordinarily-talented and passionate people.”
This year, the world’s leading museum of art and design, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, opened the first international retrospective on Dame Mary Quant. The exhibition at the V&A explores the years between 1955 and 1975, when Quant revolutionized the high street, harnessing the youthful spirit of the sixties and new mass-production techniques to create a unique look for women. The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates her amazing journey as a powerful role model for the working woman, challenging conventions while popularizing the miniskirt, colorful tights, and tailored trousers. The award will also celebrate the fact that she was a catalyst for encouraging a new age of feminism.
Following in Quant’s fashionable footsteps are a plethora of other trailblazing designers who have also set a precedent in the fashion industry and are nominated for the Womenswear Designer of the Year at this year’s first annual World Fashion Awards.
The Royal Collection DeChavel Watch & Face of 2019
Title sponsor of the Awards, DeChavel, will gift all VIPs attending the Royal Collection DeChavel watch, worth over £25,000. With a heritage stemming from Switzerland and France, high-end fashion brand DeChavel launched in 1981 as a brand of luxury watches with Royals and Head of states as primary clients. The brand has now extended into the House of DeChavel, offering a full Royal Collection of clothing, jewelry, and more.
DeChavel also sponsors ‘Face of 2019’, an international modeling competition in conjunction with the WFA, offering a fantastic opportunity for budding models and future supermodels to sashay along the catwalk at the Awards. The winners of both female and male categories will be selected by the panel of WFA judges.
Absolute Booth and Service Robots are the Official Bronze Category Sponsors for the World Fashion Awards 2019, while other sponsors include O2, Voovix, and Zuricom.
Savor The Savoy
Ever since the legendary fashion designer Christian Dior showcased his first collection in the beautiful ballroom of London’s superlative Savoy Hotel, famous faces in fashion have flocked to the luxury landmark. Dior’s ‘New Look’ shaped style throughout the 20th century, with many of his designs being shown at The Savoy.
Coupled with the fact that the home of London Fashion Week is 180 Strand, the stylish Savoy, also located on The Strand, is the ideal location for all things fashion and style during the buzzing fashion-filled days of September. It’s therefore exceptionally fitting that the inaugural World Fashion Awards should take place at this symbolic spot.
As the official Gold presenting partner, the institution of luxury has provided five-star service with ultimate discretion and unsurpassed attention to detail for 130 years. A magnet for the rich ’n’ famous, and a leader in the hotel industry from the very start, The Savoy was the first purpose-built deluxe hotel in London, setting new standards for luxury, service, and comfort. Now a Fairmont-managed hotel, the legendary Savoy continues to lead the luxury hotel market. Having first received the prestigious Five-Star rating recognition by Forbes Travel Guide when the rating list launched in 2013, it has retained the Five-Star rating year-on-year ever since. It’s also been voted the ‘No. 1 Hotel in London’ at the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. To this day, The Savoy continues to be one of London’s finest luxury destinations, where history is made, and innovation happens.
Having opened its grand doors in 1889, 2019 marks 130 years since The Savoy first opened its doors. One of London’s legendary grand hotels, oozing glamour in spades, unique heritage, exceptional dining at Simpson’s in the Strand, and a Gordon Ramsay restaurant plus two contemporary cocktail bars, it’s been a destination for generations and graced by stars, dignitaries and the global jet-set. Sensational Art Deco style blends perfectly with elegant English Edwardian, while quintessentially English tradition mingles with new-world sophistication.
Perfectly placed on the banks of the River Thames and set just a short catwalk away from the glittering lights of the West End and the bustle of vibrant Covent Garden, The Savoy is the only luxury hotel on the river and one of the capital’s most revered. From its prime location on the North Bank in the very heart of London, its unique position affords not only breath-taking views across the river, but makes a great gateway to enjoy exploring the very best of the Big Smoke.
The super-luxe hotel is also celebrated for its sublime service and world-renowned for its award-winning hospitality, serving guests in true Savoy style. The butler amenity operates as a discreet level of superlative management or top-notch executive assistance, offering all the discretion of a traditional English butler with the efficiency of a 21st-century personal assistant. And with exemplary luxury and true grandeur, combined with a unique heritage and top-notch service, also comes the rich and famous clientele
Famous faces at the historic Savoy
A home-from-home for the stars, The Savoy was THE place to stay during the Golden Age of Hollywood and still is today! Boasting a rich history and heritage, the hotel has hosted big names galore over the years.
From Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor and Winston Churchill, to Taylor Swift, James Corden, and Ed Sheeran, this much-revered hotel has played host to countless celebrities and stories over the years, including the first meeting between Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. Following a recommendation from the legendary Cary Grant. Katharine Hepburn and close friend Vivien Leigh were among the famous faces and high society who flocked to the trending hotel during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
John Wayne, Ava Gardner, and Charlie Chaplin all came, and the rooftop has been the setting for many a memorable story, including Fred Astaire’s impromptu performance with his sister atop the building! World-famous artist, Claude Monet, even set up a temporary studio from his hotel room at The Savoy while, in 1962, Frank Sinatra, a regular Savoy guest throughout his life, came to London to record his album, ‘Sinatra Sings Great Songs From Great Britain,’ with track 7, ‘Garden in the Rain,’ a tribute to the legendary bandleader at Sinatra’s “favorite” London hotel!
Royal guests & music icons
The glamorous hotel had hosted many love stories over the years, including that of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who were photographed together at the regal Savoy just days before their engagement was announced. With a rich and lavish history, members of the Royal Family have been guests of The Savoy since it opened its welcoming doors in 1889.
In 2010, HRH The Prince of Wales was the hotel’s guest of honor as The Savoy reopened following its biggest-ever restoration, seeing it take the top spot as the most expensive hotel renovation in history. More recently, the majestic Savoy has welcomed modern music icons, including American rapper, Future, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, who shot their video in the Royal Suite, the jewel in The Savoy’s crown of suites offering an open-plan procession of riverside rooms boasting panoramic river and world-famous London landmark views.
James Corden spent a side-splitting time with the bellmen and head butler when he paid a visit to the famed hotel to take over a few roles for the day for his ‘Late Late Show’ last year. Michael Ball OBE, Alfie Boe, Boyzone, and The Kingdom Choir, meanwhile, are among the sensational singers who have serenaded us at the state-of-the-art Savoy Theater.
Time for tea? Cocktail o’clock?
The Savoy is also world-renowned for London’s finest traditional Afternoon Tea – a quintessentially English event and culinary delight comprising a delicious range of teas, finger sandwiches, cakes, and scones, which The Savoy has been serving in the stunning Thames Foyer since its opening in 1889.
For cocktail connoisseurs, the hotel is also home to the award-winning American Bar, the oldest surviving cocktail bar in London, offering refined luxury and outstanding thirst-quenchers, including not only the best cocktails in town but a dazzling array of wines, whiskeys, and spirits. Raise a glass to the Awards’ winners while soaking up the unique atmosphere of timeless elegance combined with sublime cocktails and portraits of famous faces from world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill CBE, who has photographed some of the biggest stars on the planet, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Michael Caine. Steeped in cocktail-making history, it’s officially the ‘World’s Best Bar.’ Don’t miss the delectable cocktails from ‘The Savoy Songbook,’ inspired by the musicians who have played for guests in the bar.
As part of the hotel’s long-standing connection with the Royal family, The Savoy has a tradition of creating a new cocktail to mark each milestone in its rich history. To celebrate the marriage between HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the American Bar created ‘The Royal Welcome,’ a light and aromatic blend of Bombay Sapphire gin, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, Champagne syrup, yuzu, Peychaud’s bitters and English sparkling wine from Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex.
Alternatively, luxurious decadence awaits at the glamorous Beaufort Bar, renowned for pushing the boundaries of mixology. The award-winning bar boasts a range of stylish cocktails celebrating the theatrical heritage of The Savoy, with a mesmerizing ‘Music, Magic & Drama’ menu inspired by the founders of The Savoy Theater – Gilbert and Sullivan and hotelier Richard D’Oyly Carte. One of London’s best-kept secrets, the Beaufort Bar’s among the city’s most exclusive spots and hidden gems, its luxuriously-dramatic atmosphere and magical cocktails making it a perfect setting to sip Louis Roederer Champagne, sparkling wines, and choose from an in-depth whiskey selection, the brand-new Beaufort Bar Vodka range in partnership with top distillery The Boatyard Distillery in Ireland, alongside a range of classic and original cocktails made with an added element of drama, shaken or stirred, dirty or dry with a splash of Savoy style!
Fine wining & dining
After a delicious apéritif, superb traditional feasts at The Savoy’s Simpson’s in the Strand entice. With an appreciation of the traditional roast dinner integral to the unrivaled restaurant’s commitment to serving British classics, using the finest of locally-sourced produce served in Victorian silver-domed carving trollies presided over by Master Carver, this extravagant establishment is at the top of every discerning Londoner’s list for decadent dining with a true sense of British tradition.
For stylish lunches or luxuriously-long dinners, the Art Deco elegance of Kaspar’s makes it the perfect oasis in the middle of London for informal fine dining, with a seafood counter featuring the finest oysters, lobsters and smoked fish sourced from the seas around the British Isles and delivered daily from the world-famous Billingsgate fish market. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill, meanwhile, presents classic British dishes with a French touch in a beautiful and historic 1920’s setting. The Savoy is proud of its work with The Prince’s Trust, taking on enthusiastic apprentices to work alongside Master Cook, Adrian Martin.
Celebrating BAFTAs & bestselling books
The Savoy is the official hotel partner to the BAFTAs (the prestigious EE British Academy Film Awards). Synonymous with entertainment, the two great British institutions have collaborated to celebrate excellence in film. As the exclusive hotel partner for the UK release of feature films, including ‘Stan & Ollie,’ starring Steve Coogan & John C. Reilly with many scenes shot at the hotel, The Savoy celebrates the partnership with special ‘Suite Life’ experiences.
The hotel has also enjoyed a place at the heart of the literary community throughout its long and celebrated history and recently launched a full literacy program bringing authors and book-loving guests together to celebrate the written word. Damian Barr, award-winning writer, columnist, and author of ‘Maggie & Me,’ is at the helm as The Savoy’s Literary Ambassador and is reviving the hotel’s famous Writer-in-Residence program. For The Savoy’s first children’s Afternoon Tea offering in its 129-year history, the hotel partnered with Harper Collins, one of the leading publishers of children’s books. Serving up a whimsical menu, comprising sandwiches, tiger-striped scones, and pastries playfully referencing Judith Kerr’s bestselling tale, ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea,’ the special selection was served on bespoke chinaware inspired by the story, enchanting children and grown-ups alike. The hotel was honored to welcome Judith Kerr to celebrate her 95th birthday here, with the unique ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea at The Savoy’ offering forming part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of her treasured classic.
VIN+OMI X SAVOY – fashion & sustainability combine
This year, The Savoy has also become the official hotel partner for the London Fashion Week brand, VIN + OMI, the multi-award-winning eco designers taking the world by storm. As a leading luxury hotel placing sustainability efforts at its forefront, this partnership with VIN + OMI as the world’s first 100% sustainable brand sees a series of collaborative initiatives over the forthcoming years, ensuring the hotel brand remains quintessentially British.
Designer duo VIN + OMI are international award-winning fashion designers, artists, and creative directors who have been pioneering eco processes and textiles since 2004. The environmental consultants are recognized for their work in fashion innovation, research, and their sustainable approach to designs and textiles, making VIN + OMI one of the leading pioneering eco-fashion brands today. Producing ready-to-wear collections, as well as limited-edition releases, throughout the year, the creative pair has collaborated with countless other designers, including Dior and Louis Vuitton.
Through their distinct style with mixes of strong prints, bold silhouettes, and textures, their innovative and contemporary 100% sustainable approach often gives a nod to music and pop culture. Debbie Harry and Jo Wood have worked closely with them, supermodel Jodie Kidd opened the February Vin + Omi London Fashion Week show, while their pieces have also been worn by Kate Moss, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Michelle Obama, and will soon be sported by members of The Savoy team! VIN + OMI are creating bespoke uniforms for The Savoy’s symbolic doormen, to be debuted in spring 2020. They’ve also designed a limited number of bespoke scarves, which will be available for sale at The Savoy Tea shop from September 17th, coinciding with the SS 2020 catwalk show that will be held in The Savoy’s iconic Lancaster Ballroom, following in the footsteps of the aforementioned Dior, who made his British debut hosting his runway show here in 1950.
WFA afterparty at Jakata London
Having graced the glitzy red carpet and delighted in the wonder of The Savoy, the exclusive WFA afterparty will kick off straight after the awards ceremony at Jakata London. As one of the favorite cocktail bars in London’s buzzing West End, the elegant restaurant and cocktail lounge, nestled in the heart of Carnaby Street, is the official afterparty venue for the Awards 2019. The new restaurant and nightclub is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur, Cevat Riza, and his partners, and plays host to big-names DJs and music maestros, seeing Miguel Campbell, Grant Nelson, Mark Lower, Jayli and Storm spin tunes and global dance phenomenon, Hedkandi celebrating its 20th birthday at the venue, bringing its right dance powerhouse vibes to Soho. It’s the place to rub shoulders with famous faces from the screen and music stars, with 90s boyband legends Ben Ofoedu from Phats & Small, Dane Bowers (ex-Another Level), Boyzone’s Shane Lynch and Abz (formerly from 5ive), performing an intimate Boyz On Block gig there in October as part of their new supergroup UK tour.
All for charity
The World Fashion Awards are held in aid of Diamond Children’s charity, supporting children in undeveloped countries. “As well as celebrating the amazing fashion designers, models and the entire industry that make up our vibrant fashion scene, the awards ceremony will also act as a vehicle to raise funds and awareness for the Diamonds Children’s Foundation, which is currently in Mozambique following the floods and cyclone that hit the entire country,” says Marketing & Communications Manager for the WFA, Simon Gates. “The aim is to help rebuild the houses for thousands of children who have been rendered homeless and, most importantly, to play a part in rebuilding the schools.”
For tickets to the after-party at Jakarta, email viptickets@wfashionawards.com for a place on the guestlist.
For further information about The Savoy, visit: www.thesavoylondon.com
Watch the video of James Corden’s day at The Savoy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXMQz_-NmVI
© Angela Sara West 2019 www.angelasarawest.com
