Over a year of event cancellations later, the red carpet is back in full force and The Fashion Awards did not disappoint. Celebrating the best in British style, the fundraiser for the British Fashion Council (BFC) Foundation is the ideal showcase for home talent. And, for the first time in Ted Baker history, the brand hosted the event and dressed award-winning TV and radio presenter Vick Hope in a custom dress inspired by a silhouette from its SS22 Made in Britain (MiB) collection – which is all about high-quality craftsmanship and the finest fabrics.
But, what exactly goes into preparing a statement red-carpet look? We caught up with Vick while she was getting ready at central London’s Treehouse Hotel to find out about the journey from inspiration to the final dress.
Style Rules
‘I often describe my style as three princes,’ Vick laughs. ‘Fresh Prince because I really love gaudy prints, vintage oversized denim and retro sportswear. Prince George because I like a preppy look: nice clean tailoring and dungarees, and finally, Prince. His style was really flamboyant and opulent, so I was definitely channelling that Prince at this year’s British Fashion Awards!'
Outfit Inspiration
‘I like to do a bit of research and look through pictures to see the vibe and how much people go all-out for an event before I decide what to wear,’ Vick shares with us. ‘I don’t often cite Kendall Jenner as my style inspiration but she once wore a really shiny, green dress that stuck with me, and I remember thinking, “I’d love to one day wear something like that. I’ve never seen anything like it in the shops.”’
The Process
‘I tried on a few different Ted Baker dresses and looked at shapes that were interesting or beautiful and decided to customise an existing dress,’ Vick tells us. ‘I asked to have it in an iridescent green fabric. It’s chartreuse, almost like an acid green, and it’s one of those colours you can’t take your eyes off.’
Anthony Cuthbertson, Global Creative Director at Ted Baker, comments, ‘The process has been truly collaborative from the offset, and Vick has worked closely with our design teams on the silhouette, colour and fabrication for her final awards look. We started with a tea-dress shape from our spring/summer 22 MiB collection, and have transformed it into a one-of-a-kind piece that feels identifiably Ted Baker while honouring Vick’s point of view.’
‘I’m like a magpie and am drawn to anything shiny, sparkly or bright and you really get that with Ted Baker,’ Vick tells us. ‘I love supporting British companies, especially British fashion, and Ted Baker just encapsulates our heritage,’ Vick says. ‘I feel like it’s super-accessible while also pushing boundaries and ensuring its tailoring and shapes fit well.’
The Details
‘Everything else had to work with the dress, so I chose some jewellery that had these coppery/bronzy/gold colours and very simple black shoes because I didn’t want to distract from the dress. For that same reason, we decided to go with a slick and clean hair and make-up look.
‘We always base everything on the main look, so if your outfit shows off your neck, we’d put my hair up, or if it’s an asymmetric outfit, we’d put my hair on the other side to balance it out.
‘When it comes to underwear, I have one trusty skin-tone thong I always wear for these kinds of events as you never get a VPL. And I use events as an excuse to wear a clutch bag as they feel so novel these days – although they’re not exactly practical,’ Vick says.
Being Red-Carpet Camera-Ready
‘It’s good practice to take pictures in the outfit first to make sure you like it, and that it’s flattering and not too flashy,’ Vick tells us. ‘I’m a big fan of a slit on a dress, so it’s always worth having a little look in the mirror just before you go out to see where your limits are and just how far you can pull the leg out if you’re posing. It’s good to work out what your best angle is going to be and what the weather will be like. The National Television Awards’ red carpet was in a wind tunnel last time, so it’s worth knowing if it’s going to be cold and how long you’re going to be outside.’
The Finished Look
Vick’s MiB chartreuse floor-length dress is crafted in an Italian foil georgette with ruffle detail and features a front split, as well as a contrasting black grosgrain trim. ‘I wear a lot of suits, so I thought, “Let’s go for something different,”’ Vick reveals. ‘I’m always up for playing around with fashion and I’m quite open to new ideas and experimenting. Usually, the thing that makes me sure of something is if I’ve never worn that colour or shape before because it gives me a chance to dress up.’
Get ready for the festive season with occasionwear from Ted Baker
