Record

Performance TitleThe British Fashion Awards 1989
Performance Date17 October 1989
Performance DayTuesday
Performance Time19:30
Main PerformersBruce Oldfield,
Janet Street-Porter,
Dawn French,
Jennifer Saunders,
Ruby Wax,
HRH Princess Diana - award presenters,
Caron Wheeler (Wumni) - vocal
Set ListYoung Contemporary Designer Award Nominees:
Nicolas Georgiou,
Pamm Hogg,
Jigsaw (winner),
Monix,
Helen Storey,
Whistles

Comedy sketch (French and Saunders)

British Classics Award Nominees (French and Saunders):
Paul Costelloe,
Nicole Farhi (winner),
Margaret Howell,
Joseph,
Arabella Pollen,
Edina Ronay

British Accessory Designer Award Nominees (Ruby Wax):
Slim Barrett,
Manolo Blahnik,
Dinny Hall (winner),
Emma Hope,
Mulberry,
Wright and Teague

British Glamour Award Nominees (Janet Street-Porter):
Victor Edelstein,
Bruce Oldfield,
Rifat Ozbek,
Antony Price (Winner),
Helen Storey,
Catherine Walker

British Fashion Photographer Award Nominees (Liz Tilberis, Vogue):
Robert Erdmann,
Neil Kirk,
Nick Knight,
Andrew Macpherson,
Eammon McCabe (winner),
Mike Owen

Designer of the Year Award (sponsored by Clairol) Nominees (Princess Diana):
Joe Casely-Hayford,
Katharine Hamnett,
Rifat Ozbek,
Arabella Pollen,
Vivienne Westwood,
Workers for Freedom - Graham Fraser and Richard Nott (Winner)

Special Lifetime Contribution to Fashion (Bruce Oldfield):
Sir Hardy Amies
Royal PresenceHRH Princess Diana The Princess of Wales
Performance NotesThis was the very first British Fashion Awards – celebrating the contributions of British designers, creatives and models to the international fashion scene – and was attended by HRH Princess Diana..

Billed as the largest and most lavish fashion show ever seen in London, the event drew more than 3,000 guests. The awards ceremony saw some interesting fashions, including Vivienne Westwood`s bodysuit with a fig leaf-covered crotch and Katherine Hamnett`s silver-studded, leather G-strings.

HRH Princess Diana wore the iconic ‘Elvis’ white beaded dress and jacket, hand-embroidered with 28,600 pearl beads, designed by Catherine Walker to attend the event. Bruce Oldfield on behalf of The Princess presented the British Fashion Council Hall of Fame Award to Sir Hardy Amies, longtime couturier to Queen Elizabeth II.

Guests at the event included Yasmin Le Bon (model), Zandra Rhodes (designer), Lucille Lewin (Whistles), Paul Howie (PR), Monica Chong (designer) and Naomi Campbell (model).

The British Fashion awards were held at the Hall on a further three occasions, in 1990, 1996 and 1997.

The event was filmed by Thames Televsion, directed by Nick Bigsby and broadcast on Thames Television on 18 October 1989 at 22:30 (British Film Institute identifier 352895).

Proceeds from the event went to the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf.

Miss Alexandra Loyd, Lieutenant-Commander Patrick Jephson RN and Mr Richard Arbiter were in attendance.

Following the event a reception and dinner was held for 400 people at the Royal College of Art for the winners, international buyers and press, organised by the BFC's Annette Worsley-Taylor.
Related Archival MaterialProgramme (RAHE/1/1989/132),
Handbill (RAHE/6/1989/8)
URLhttps://thirdlight.royalalberthall.com/pf.tlx?ZQZEp3Z6_itT
https://thirdlight.royalalberthall.com/pf.tlx/MRMljMB2AUt
Catalogue
Reference NumberTitleDate
RAHE/1/1989/132The British Fashion Awards 198917 October 1989
RAHE/6/1989/8The British Fashion Awards 198917 October 1989
Work
Ref NoTitleNo of Performances
Csomezig_LyvThe British Fashion Awards 19891
Performers
CodeName of Performer(s)
DS/UK/18443Porter; Janet Street- (1946-); English media personaility, journalist, broadcaster
DS/UK/18836Greene; Sarah (1958-); British television personality
DS/UK/22912Wheeler; Caron (19 January 1963); British singer songwriter, record producer and musician
DS/UK/10609Saunders; Jennifer (1958-); English actress, comedian, screenwriter, singer
DS/UK/23840French; Dawn (1957-); British actress, comedian, presenter, writer
DS/UK/20113Wax; Ruby (1953-); American born British comedian
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