The British Fashion Council (BFC) and Swarovski have commissioned Marc Newson to create a bespoke crystal trophy for The Fashion Awards 2016 in partnership with Swarovski which will take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 5th December.
Created with the resources and technical ability of Swarovski and crafted from Swarovski Crystal, the hexagonal design draws inspiration from crystal clusters and rock structures. The trophies are all handcrafted at Swarovski’s headquarters in Wattens, Austria and will complete an 800 mile journey from there to the Royal Albert Hall in London. Each trophy measure 245mm in height by 67mm wide.
Discover The Fashion Awards 2016 Trophy designed by Marc Newson for Swarovski here: https://youtu.be/qH97mqTWAPY
Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board, commented: “We are thrilled to have worked with Marc Newson on the design of the trophies for the Fashion Awards, which we are excited to support this year. Marc's innovative crystal design concept is a fitting tribute to the global creative talent we are celebrating this year.”
Originally from Australia, Newson has lived and worked in Tokyo and Paris and is now based in London. He has been described as one of the most influential designers of his generation and has worked across a wide range of disciplines, creating everything from furniture and households objects to bicycles and cars, private and commercial aircrafts, yachts and architectural commissions. Newson was included in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and has received numerous awards and distinctions. His work is present in many major museum collections, including the MoMA in New York, London’s Design Museum, the V&A, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and the Vitra Design Museum in Germany.
Marc Newson CBE said: “I was delighted to be asked to design this trophy. Swarovski crystal is a fantastic material to work with, and I am happy with the striking visual effect that has been created from the reflections of each individual trophy when set together. We could not have achieved this spectacular result with any other material. It is a pleasure to contribute to the evolution of the Fashion Awards and to celebrate such great talent with these trophies.”
Dame Natalie Massenet, Chairman of the British Fashion Council added: “We are honoured that Marc Newson created a trophy for the Fashion Awards worthy of our new international format. The award will not only be desirable for its recognition of outstanding achievements in the world of fashion, it will be a bold and collectible work of design from one of the greatest living industrial designers.”
The Fashion Awards 2016 will celebrate the best talent from the global fashion community and will be the inaugural annual fundraiser gala for the British Fashion Council Education Foundation charity. The Education Foundation offers scholarships to talented young people to study BAs and MAs and offers funding for apprenticeships to develop much needed industry skills. The British Fashion Council aims to raise £10million over the next ten years for the charity. Donations to the Education Foundation can be made online via fashionawards.com/About/BFC-Education-Foundation.
The generosity and commitment of our sponsors is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging our Principal Sponsor SWAROVSKI for their support of The Fashion Awards 2016. Official Presenting Sponsors of the event are American Express, M·A·C and TONI&GUY, Official Sponsors are Cîroc, Marks & Spencer, Mercedes-Benz and SHOWstudio.