The British Fashion Council has announced that acclaimed costume designer Kate Hawley will receive the first-ever Costume Designer of the Year Award at The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora, taking place December 1, 2025, at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The honor will be presented by Oscar and BAFTA winner Sandy Powell and recognizes a costume designer whose work has had a meaningful impact on both fashion and culture through entertainment. Hawley is being celebrated for her standout work on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, a project that highlights her ability to merge craftsmanship, character-driven detail, and fashion-forward creativity in service of cinematic storytelling.

A graduate of London’s prestigious Motley School of Theatre Design, Hawley is known for her narrative-focused approach to costume design across film, opera, theater, and ballet. Her credits span acclaimed titles like Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim, as well as major studio films including Suicide Squad, Edge of Tomorrow, and The Hobbit. In Frankenstein, she blends historical accuracy with a contemporary sensibility, grounding each design in technical research and custom fabric development. Her work has been internationally exhibited and honored with an Emmy nomination, Saturn and Empire Awards, and a Costume Designers Guild Award for Sci-fi and Fantasy.

British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir emphasized the powerful connection between film and fashion, noting that the new award celebrates the visionaries who shape how audiences experience character and culture through costume. She expressed the BFC’s excitement in naming Hawley the inaugural recipient, praising her narrative-shaping work on Netflix’s Frankenstein.

The Fashion Awards 2025 presented by Pandora continues to generate essential support for the BFC Foundation, spotlighting the cultural reach of fashion and its intersections with music, film, sports, and performance.

Image courtesy of Netflix.