Kane wins and McQueen’s legacy lives on at British Fashion Awards

Scottish designer Christopher Kane has won the New Establishment Award at the British Fashion Awards in London last night, beating fellow Scot Jonathan Saunders and London label Erdem.

Newly created this year, the award recognises a brand that has moved on from being an emerging talent to exerting international influence in the fashion industry. Kane’s label was lauded as one that leads global trends and has become an essential inclusion in both press coverage of the industry and in collectors’ wardrobes.

Kane was presented with the award by Alexa Chung, who wore a design from his Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Chung herself won the British Style Award for the second year running, which recognised her as an ambassador for British style and for London as a leading fashion capital, as voted for by the public.

The night’s other big winner was Designer of the Year Sarah Burton, who took over as creative director at Alexander McQueen following the designer’s death last year, and was recognised for maintaining McQueen’s legacy while still allowing her own talent to shine through, in collections that have been much acclaimed since her appointment. Burton also designed Kate Middleton’s dress for her wedding to Prince William earlier this year, in what was one of the defining moments of 2011 for British fashion.

Producer Sam Gainsbury, of creative agency Gainsbury and Whiting, won the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator, in recognition no doubt of her curating of the exhibition Savage Beauty earlier this year, which honoured McQueen’s work and broke all records for attendance of a fashion-based exhibition.

Also in attendance at the ceremony, held at The Savoy, were BFC Ambassador Samantha Cameron, wearing a necklace by Scottish designer Holly Fulton, and model Tali Lennox, daughter of Annie Lennox, as well as Kate Moss, Olivia Palermo, Marc Jacobs and Lady Amanda Harlech.

The winners in full:

Emerging Talent Award - Ready to Wear: Mary Katrantzou

Emerging Talent Award – Accessories: Tabitha Simmons

Emerging Talent Award – Menswear: Christopher Raeburn

Accessory Designer: Charlotte Olympia

Menswear Designer: Kim Jones

Designer Brand: Victoria Beckham

Model: Stella Tennant

BFC Outstanding Achievement in Fashion: Paul Smith

Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Sam Gainsbury

Red Carpet Award: Stella McCartney

Designer of the Year: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen

New Establishment Award: Christopher Kane

British Style Award (sponsored by Vodafone): Alexa Chung