Naomi Campbell is the recipient of the British Fashion Council’s 2019 Fashion Icon Award

 

 

 

The Fashion Icon Award is one of the Special Recognition Awards that celebrate outstanding contributions to the fashion industry.

The British Fashion Council announced that Naomi Campbell will receive the Fashion Icon Award at The Fashion Awards 2019, on Monday 2nd December at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The winner of BFC’s 2019 fashion icon award said at the press conference announcing the award that ‘people forget I’m from Brixton.’

“This is a very emotional award to me to receive [as] although I spend so much of my life in different parts of the world, I think people sometimes forget that I’m from Brixton: I’m a south London girl,” Naomi Campbell said.

Born in London, Naomi Campbell’s career started at an early age. Discovered by an agent after school in Covent Garden, Campbell was the first black model to cover French Vogue in 1988, the first black model to be on the cover of American Vogue’s September issue in 1989, the first black model to appear on the cover of TIME magazine, Russian Vogue as well as the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. She has since graced the covers of over 500 magazines.

“Naomi Campbell will be recognised for her contribution to the fashion industry, her world-renowned career as a supermodel, as well as her philanthropist work with charities and incredible efforts for a more diverse and equal future, especially in Africa,” said British Fashion Council in a statement.

“We cannot think of a more deserving recipient than iconic Londoner Naomi Campbell, she has achieved exceptional work in the industry. Naomi represents female empowerment, activism and glamour and her voice is used for great impact. We are thrilled to present The Fashion Icon Award to Naomi and acknowledge her for her remarkable contribution to the global fashion industry and we look forward to celebrating with her in London in December,” commented Caroline Rush, BFC Chief Executive.

To coincide with the announcement, wrote theguardian.com, Naomi Campbell revealed that her charity catwalk show, Fashion for Relief, would take place during London fashion week in September. The event, which started in 2005, has raised funds for the those affected by natural disasters including the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The model said this year’s event would be very special.

Previous awards received by Naomi Campbell include the Glamour Award for Outstanding Contribution in 2006, a Special Recognition Award at the British Fashion Awards in 2010, the Glamour Award for TV Personality in 2014 and most recently the Fashion Icon award at the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards.