Kate Hawley named first-ever Costume Designer of the Year at The Fashion Awards 2025

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced that acclaimed costume designer Kate Hawley will receive the inaugural Costume Designer of the Year Award at The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora. The ceremony, taking place 1 December at London’s Royal Albert Hall, marks the first time the event has formally recognised costume design as a standalone category. The award will be presented by Oscar and BAFTA-winning designer Sandy Powell.

Hawley is being honoured for her work on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, praised for its meticulous construction, narrative sensitivity and ability to elevate character through custom-built textiles and silhouettes. Trained at London’s Motley School of Theatre Design, she has built an international career across film, opera, theatre and ballet. Her credits span Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim to Suicide Squad, Edge of Tomorrow and The Hobbit. Her work has previously earned an Emmy nomination, a Costume Designers Guild Award and Saturn and Empire awards.

Costume design has long played a critical role in how fashion evolves through the language of film. Research from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Smithsonian has documented how screen costume shapes public style references, from the bias-cut dresses of the 1930s to the post-war tailoring that influenced mid-century ready-to-wear. More recently, fashion archivists have traced how films such as Black Panther, Atonement and Marie Antoinette spurred global trends in colour, silhouette and textile revival. Costume design not only conveys character but also acts as a form of visual storytelling that can influence designers, retailers and brand image-making across the fashion sector.

Hawley’s approach to Frankenstein reflects this broader cultural dialogue: blending historical research with contemporary fabric innovation, she created a visual world that aligns with del Toro’s cinematic universe while offering new interpretations of period dress. The BFC noted that this level of technical innovation, combined with cross-disciplinary craft, is increasingly shaping how fashion understands narrative-led design.

Laura Weir, Chief Executive Officer of the BFC, said the new award acknowledges the deep creative relationship between fashion and film. “Costume designers shape the way global audiences see culture and character. Their work influences not only cinema but fashion’s wider visual vocabulary,” she said. “We are thrilled to recognise Kate Hawley for her narrative-defining work on Frankenstein.”

The Fashion Awards serve as a major fundraiser for the BFC Foundation, supporting emerging talent and safeguarding the UK’s position in global fashion creativity. This year’s ceremony continues to highlight how fashion intersects with music, film, sport and performance, reinforcing its role as a cultural force beyond the runway.