Harry Potter actress Afshan Azad and EastEnders & Bend it Like Beckham actor Ameet Chana hosted a lavish award ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Canary Wharf, celebrating the achievements of the British Bangladeshi community in the Fashion & Lifestyle Industry.
The British Bangladeshi Fashion & Lifestyle Awards 2019 saw 21 awards being handed out to individuals and companies that have transcended barriers and achieved the pinnacle of their given trade & professions and in the process have brought colour, joy and happiness to all our lives.
Organised by the British Bangladesh Fashion Council, the awards was a celebration and promotion of British Bangladeshi fashion, arts, culture and businesses that help contribute to the unique multicultural lifestyle of British Bangladeshis and to the wider British society. It was a celebration that showcased the best of British Bangladeshis and celebrated the fantastic achievements throughout the fashion & lifestyle industry.
The awards saw members of the public submit nominations, with 317 nominations made, followed by shortlisting selecting 3-5 finalists in each category and who were put out to attest of public opinion, with over 5,000 votes casts by the public and finally a judging panel selecting the winners in 21 categories, which were announced at this lavish awards ceremony.
The awards that were given out, included Fashion Designer of the Year which went to Rokeya Khanum owner and creative director of her own label Khanum’s, Fashion Journalist of the Year to Momtaz Begum-Hossain, Make-up Artist of the Year to Kaniz Ali, with Best Male Model of the Year going to Shareef Ali and Best Female Model of the Year going to Emilia Khandaker. Awards were also given out in a range of other categories in the lifestyle industry – TV/Radio Personality of the Year went to Nadia Ali, Music Artist of the Year to went to Nish, Restaurant of the Year went to Newham based Elvet Steakhouse, Social Venue of the Year went to The Banc, Wedding Caterer of the Year doing to Maria London, amongst other awards.
Special recognitions went to British Bangladeshi Fashion designer, Rahemur Rahman, for Outstanding Achievements within the Fashion Industry, for his debut earlier in the year at London Fashion Week, being the first designer of Bangladeshi heritage to showcase at London Fashion Week.
Also, another special recognition went to Bibi Russel for Lifetime Achievement Award, for her 50 years in the Fashion Industry, having worked as a international model for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Kenzo, Karl Lagerfeld and for magazines such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Harpers Bazzar, throughout the late 70s, 80’s and early 90s. She recently showcased at the Commonwealth Fashion Showcase alongside fashion designers such as Stella McCartney held at Buckingham Palace and hosted by the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
Fokrul Hoque, CEO of the British Bangladesh Fashion Council said: ‘We are delighted to have hosted this awards ceremony. The amount of creative talent that we have within the British Bangladeshi community is not often highlighted enough, as often the focus is on the achievements in some of the other sectors which have taken a precedent, such as academic and business achievements. These awards are not just about recognizing those who have succeeded and done well in this sector, but also about highlighting and promoting the creative industries as a career choice, as the fashion industry is a £32 billion a year industry and one that is growing fast, with lots of opportunities.’