The British Fashion Council today announces that Bruce Weber will receive the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at The Fashion Awards 2016 in partnership with Swarovski. Bruce Weber will be honoured at this year’s ceremony on Monday 5th December at the Royal Albert Hall for his incredible creative achievements within the global fashion industry.
Bruce Weber’s iconic photography first graced the pages of GQ Magazine in the 1970’s, and he soon rose to prominence with the Calvin Klein campaign featuring Tom Hintnaus in Greece. Weber’s signature stripped-back black and white photography captured the spirit of the moment, and he has endured as one of the most iconic and celebrated photographers of his age. Weber’s work on campaigns for the likes of Pirelli, Ralph Lauren and Versace and for magazines such as Elle, Interview, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and multiple Vogues has resulted in some of the most creative and iconoclastic fashion imagery to date.
Like all true creators Weber has never been satisfied with one outlet, constantly looking for new ways to explore his medium. Films like Chop Suey played with cinema and photography to create a new kind of introspection, whilst documentaries like Let’s Get Lost and Broken Noses have won him an Oscar nomination and numerous international accolades. His multiple books have served to spotlight how influential his insight into the contemporary condition is. Collector’s items like A House Is Not A Home and Bear Pond have highlighted Weber’s artful and intimate documentary style, and to date Weber has published over 37 books and held over 60 exhibitions world-wide.
As much as he has always been a devotee to documenting his own country, Weber has also photographed the four corners of the earth. A love of travel and a respect for the diversity of culture and style across the world mean that his catalogue is full of breathtaking imagery that effortlessly combines travel, style and identity.
This broad sweep of interests is anchored by his erotic and risqué but always uniquely stylish portraits; models, musicians, actors, artists and creators of all kind come alive in his vast catalogue of work. The warmth and exuberance of his work, alongside that unique ability to make each image feel intimate, is what makes Bruce Weber one of the foremost fashion creators working today.
Dame Natalie Massenet, British Fashion Council Chairman commented: “Bruce’s endurance is testament to his pure talent, his undeniable creativity and his singular warmth and generosity. His expansive body of work in photography and film is iconic, and he himself is rightly an icon of the creative fashion community. He is one of the foremost photographers and creative talents of our age who has helped shape the fashion industry we know today and I have a great deal of admiration for him.”
Previous winners of the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator include: Nick Knight OBE (2015), Edward Enninful OBE (2014), Lady Amanda Harlech (2013) and Professor Louise Wilson OBE (2012).
The Fashion Awards 2016 will celebrate the best talent from the global fashion community and will be the inaugural annual fundraiser gala for the British Fashion Council Education Foundation charity. The Education Foundation offers scholarships to talented young people to study BAs and MAs and offers funding for apprenticeships to develop much needed industry skills. The British Fashion Council aims to raise £10million over the next ten years for the charity. Donations to the Education Foundation can be made online via fashionawards.com/About/BFC-Education-Foundation.
The generosity and commitment of our sponsors is more vital than ever. Please help us by acknowledging our Principal Sponsor SWAROVSKI for their support of The Fashion Awards 2016. Official Presenting Sponsors of the event are American Express, M•A•C and TONI&GUY. Official Sponsors are Cîroc, Marks & Spencer, Mercedes-Benz and SHOWstudio.