Lessons in Hair and Makeup From the British Fashion Awards

It’s the one night a year that the fashion world and its avid watchers absolutely live for. On Monday, November 23, the annual British Fashion Awards ceremony was held at the London Coliseum in Charing Cross. Today we look back at the best looks and share what we learnt.

Since 1989, the British Fashion Awards has been honouring the contributions that British designers, creative professionals and models to the global fashion scene. This year, there were 16 winners in categories for men’s wear, women’s wear, model of the year, red carpet design, and more.

Karl Lagerfeld received the Outstanding Achievement Award for his unparalleled contribution to the world of fashion, while Tom Ford, who was unable to attend, was honoured with the Red Carpet Designer of the Year Award.  JW Anderson was voted both the menswear and womenswear designer of 2015, the first time that any designer has won both categories in a single night. Model of the Year went to Jourdan Dunn, whose career keeps ascending: when she scored the cover of British Vogue, she became the first black model to appear solo in that coveted spot in 12 years.

Those who were not able to attend the gala itself relished the red-carpet appearances from Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham, Liv Tyler, Kate Bosworth, and other luminaries. Not everyone could afford their designer apparel, but hair and makeup styles are always easy and affordable to copy, so here are some noteworthy red carpet looks.

• Victoria Beckham styled her hair in a soft and classy chignon. Nude lipstick and artistically defined eyes completed the gentle minimalist look.
• Model of the Year Jourdan Dunn wore a sleek bob with an elegant side part, while her makeup featured smoky eyes and nude lips that let her natural beauty shine through.
• Georgia May Jagger wore her famous tresses in loose waves, and sported neutral-toned eye and lip colours.
• Kate Bosworth turned heads with her sleek chignon, vibrant berry-coloured lips, and gentle makeup that flattered her dewy skin.
• Sam Rollinson wore her dark locks stick-straight, with a well-defined fringe parted in the centre. Peach-toned lipstick and dark, smoky eyeshadow accented her famous face without overwhelming it.
• Critics gave Poppy Delevingne’s gown a thumbs-down, but her platinum blonde hair, metallic eye makeup, and daring red lipstick has already inspired imitators.
• Liv Tyler appeared on the red carpet with her hair in tousled waves and wearing shimmering metallic eye makeup.

The British Fashion Awards not only makes careers, it also sets hair and makeup trends. This year’s red carpet procession provided plenty of inspiration for the coming year.