The British Fashion Council (BFC) is delighted to work with stylist, art director and 2022 NEW WAVE: Creative Julie Liu, alongside glass production company World of Glass to create the trophy for The Fashion Awards 2023 presented by Pandora (TFA). TFA, which takes place on Monday 4th December 2023 at the Royal Albert Hall, is organised by the BFC and is the primary fundraiser for the BFC Foundation. The Awards celebrate the role of fashion at the intersection of culture and entertainment, spotlighting creative talent and telling the stories of the year in fashion through the lens of purpose, excellence, and creativity.
Trophy design inspired by Dragon Tales cartoon
Designed by Julie, each trophy is handmade from glass by World of Glass. A NEW WAVE: Creative at The Fashion Awards 2022, Julie uses her Chinese-Canadian cultural perspective to create work which translates shapes, colours and humanity into creative visual images. The trophy design is inspired by a magical rock from her favourite cartoon series Dragon Tales which is used to transport characters into Dragon Land, a dream world which represents a space for their creative freedom.
“Every new idea is birthed from a place that is free, where you have space and security to imagine. Being free also comes from self-acceptance, self-respect, and self-confidence – that’s when we came across World of Glass to bring out that vision of a rock on our own. I was looking for a material that reflected light and had flexibility for imperfections and uniqueness. This year’s shape is quite different to past trophies, because I thought it’d best fit with my imposter syndrome, and of who I am – Julie Liu – a creative. A third-culture kid. A New Wave. My hope is for every Fashion Award winner to receive this as a symbol of their respected artistic legacy, and thanking them for bringing their Dragon Land to the world.”
Peter Frost, Executive Director at the World Of Glass, World of Glass said “Our hot glass studio, one of the largest in the UK, is constantly in use educating and delighting the public about the original craft of glass blowing and making. It is so exciting to work with the designers at the Fashion Awards to create something so lasting and elegant befitting of an industry that is centered on beauty. It has allowed our glass makers to pass on some of their knowledge while working with the designers to push glass boundaries. We loved the opportunity to experiment with different ideas and practices and are incredibly proud to have produced this year’s Fashion Awards Trophy, making each one individually by hand using highly skilled techniques.”
Partners of The Fashion Awards 2023
The generosity and commitment of partners, suppliers and supporters is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging their support for The Fashion Awards 2023 presented by Pandora alongside our Official Partners: Don Julio, Getty Images, Moët & Chandon, Royal Salute, smartwater and The Peninsula London.