The BAFTAs once saw Ruby Wax and Janet Street-Porter toasting the best of British film wearing fringed red and yellow satin looks and reading glasses (1990), Carol Vorderman matching the flippy asymmetrical hemline of her turquoise minidress to her flicked-out hair (2000), and June Brown ditching Dot Cotton’s signature uniform in favour of a fabulous ombré-effect gown boasting a crystal mesh overlay (2002). A browse through BAFTA photo albums from years gone by is a reminder of the personalities who have shaped the fabric of British culture, as well as the actors who tell its stories.
Call us biased, but these awards are particularly brilliant precisely because of this cross-section of characters. Rarely does royalty cross paths with EastEnders cast members, but at the BAFTAs, the Princess of Wales has frequently been seen smiling through the driving rain next to Britain’s most beloved small-screen stars. Everyone gets their moment, and they dress accordingly.
“You see the royal family’s attendance reflected in the red-carpet looks in a way that is like no other carpet during award season,” says stylist Holly White. “The silhouettes and details are super refined, the fabrics extra sophisticated. It’s not a carpet for risks, and there’s a majestic energy that makes it truly unique.”
