The hottest trends spotted at the 2022 Fashion Awards

We love to look to the red carpet for style inspiration – and what better than the British Fashion Council’s Fashion Awards, which held their 2022 ceremony last night.

The stars headed to the Royal Albert Hall for the event, presented by Diet Coke and hosted by actress Jodie Turner-Smith, with attendees including industry icons like British Vogue editor Edward Enninful and model Naomi Campbell.

Model of the Year was won by Bella Hadid, while Valentino Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli won Designer of the Year.

Our main focus, however, is the celebrity styles we can get ourselves.

The red carpet was full of unique looks, but certain themes seemed to keep coming back, suggesting they’ll be everywhere for the next few months.

So if you want to follow in the fashion elite’s footsteps, here are the trends to consider.

Black, white and red everywhere

The LBD will always be a staple this time of year, but black dresses really reigned supreme at this year’s Fashion Awards.

Rising stars like Lila Moss and Iris Law opted for cutouts and sheer materials, while TV presenter Maya Jama accessorized her skintight black number with a dramatic wide-brimmed hat.

Black and white jumpsuits were also everywhere, from Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s monochrome dress to Romeo Beckham’s girlfriend Mia Regan pairing a shiny white mini dress with chunky black boots.

Elsewhere, festive red was a big hit at the ceremony.

Florence Pugh opted for a stunning Valentino red dress, while Amanda Holden and Abbey Clancy also sported scarlet.

The trick to updating these classic shades is to play with the texture and shape of your pieces. Materials like leather and PVC can add an edge to an outfit, while oversized shoulders, cutout details and embellishments like rhinestones or feathers are also great for changing things up.

Sequins

Fashion queen Naomi Campbell and British Fashion Council CEO Caroline Rush both wore sequined dresses for the awards – and they’re two people who know what they’re doing when it comes to dressing up.

However, it was hard to find a red carpet outfit that didn’t feature sparkles; Poppy Delevingne, Suki Waterhouse, Irina Shayk and Lily James were among those who wore sequin dresses.

There’s your Christmas party inspiration sorted…

High visibility bright neon lights

Event host Jodie Turner-Smith had a number of outfit changes throughout the night, but started things off in a bright neon dress.

She wasn’t the only one either – AJ Ododu, Heidi D’Amelio and Shay Mitchell also went for the high-vis look.

Yellow highlighter isn’t always easy to pull off, so if you want to follow the trend, maybe keep pops of bright neon against a black or neutral outfit.

Prosthetic makeup

Rita Ora defied time in a lingerie-inspired sheer gown — but we’re more intrigued by her webbed prosthetic makeup look.

Prosthetics are unlikely to replace smoky eyes anytime soon, but special-effect makeup is becoming increasingly popular. Sienna Miller’s MUA recently revealed she used prosthetic lips to give a temporary filler effect, while Kim Kardashian showed off ‘scales’ for her Halloween beauty look.

Hoods and veils

Bridgerton actress Simone Ashley and singer Sabrina Carpenter were among the entrants who donned a hood for the awards – no, not cozy hoods to keep out the rain, but embellished headwear to complete an outfit.

We’ve seen balaclavas and bandanas all over the street recently, so expect more formal options to appear in the coming months.

Sabrina Dhowre Elba also changed things up with a faux fur snood, while Erin O’Connor accessorized her monochromatic Erdem dress with a black chiffon veil.

Tulle vs Tailor

For a dramatic nighttime look, opt for androgynous couture like Elizabeth Debicki and Rochelle Humes.

The black and white keeps things formal, and the exaggerated shoulders, metallic hardware, and feminine touches against the boxy shapes ensure you won’t look like you’ve plundered your dad’s suits.

Speaking of feminine touches, we saw plenty of tulle and feathers at the ceremony, in direct contract with these bespoke masculine ensembles.

Ashley Graham, Montana Brown and Munroe Bergdorf went big with ruffles and puff sleeves, evoking images of the classic American ballgown.

Meanwhile, Pam and Tommy star Lily James chose a dress with a tulle mermaid cut and Jourdan Dunn opted for a dress with a bustle and voluminous train.

Wet hair

Beauty Oti Mabuse wore her hair in a slick, wet style for the awards, with Simone Ashley and Florence Pugh also opting for similar styles.

It’s a great look for the holiday season because it stays put for hours and you shouldn’t need any extra tools to recreate it. Plus, if you’re stuck in a downpour (not a crazy possibility in the UK winter) you’re always good to go.

Mini bags

Is it just us, or are the bags getting smaller and smaller?

Don’t expect to be able to fit much into trendy handbags this season, because they are so tiny.

On the Fashion Awards red carpet, everyone from Alexa Chung to Laura Whitmore wore mini bags.

It may be time to cut back on your nighttime possessions…

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