Music icon Sam Smith captivated the 2023 British Fashion Awards on Monday evening in London, arriving in a dramatic custom outfit by Dame Vivienne Westwood before later accepting an award in a show-stopping silk taffeta gown.
Smith made a bold entrance at Royal Albert Hall in an androgynous ensemble crafted especially for them by Westwood’s husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler. Featuring an oversized peaked lapel blazer and mini kilt in black wool twill, the look seamlessly blended masculine and feminine aesthetics. Smith punctuated the menswear-inspired jacket and skirt with a mini patent leather handbag emblazoned with Westwood’s iconic logo and towering lace-up leather platform boots.
“I have always been a fan of Vivienne Westwood,” Smith told reporters on the red carpet. “Andreas helps me embrace different parts of myself through clothing, which I find so empowering.”
Smith’s boots proved the pièce de résistance, featuring intricate crisscross lacing traveling up the calf. The artist’s striped socks slyly peeked out from underneath, printed with Westwood’s name.
Later in the evening, Smith returned to the stage to accept the Fashion Awards’ Cultural Innovator honor from actress Lena Dunham. For the occasion, they changed into a silk taffeta off-the-shoulder gown in the deepest onyx. Crafted by Kronthaler exclusively for Smith, the dress featured extravagant wing-like sleeves and a dramatic train that trailed behind them as they delivered a soulful performance of their hit song “HIM.”
“Fashion has given me the courage to embrace different parts of myself,” Smith noted during their speech. “I accept this honor for all the people out there still struggling to find freedom in who they are.”
In an Instagram post recapping the glamorous occasion, Smith dedicated their award “to the trailblazers that came before me and paved the way for people like me to be brave.”
