London hosts 25th British fashion awards

The creme de la creme of fashion gathered in London on Wednesday (December 9) to celebrate 25 years of British fashion. The red carpet was sprinkled with Swarovski crystals -- the sponsor of the event -- and Champagne was flowing, as A-listers converged on what has been dubbed the 'fashion Oscars.' With three rotating Swarovski Chandeliers displayed on stage, the main hall of the Royal Courts of Justice was transformed into a glitter box of glamour. Singer-turned-fashion designer Victoria Beckham showed she can still sparkle after having dresses stolen from her Spring/Summer 2010 collection. Sporting a long black gown from her own range -- and a Geisha-esque hairdo -- the Brit gushed over the up-and-coming talent the UK has to offer. Kitted out in a red design by London-based talent Peter Pilotto, supermodel Claudia Schiffer was also amongst the celebrities at the gala evening.Despite the glitz and glamour, the global downturn was still on the mind of some attendees.It's a very very scary time right now. I think we are in our -- coming into the last leg of the 'W' before we go up again -- so next year is going to be really really horrific. As a designer who's been in the industry nearly 30 years, I took this view last year, to take a step back from the cat walks... Take the Ben De Lisi collection, move it to more of a wider audience. So I took it in its entirety to Debenhams, said American designer Ben De Lisi. Wearing a tuxedo coat from retailer Dorothy Perkins, she told Reuters it all happens on the British high street.Nadja Swarovski of the world's leading producer of cut crystals was proud to support the British Fashion Awards for the fifth consecutive year.The creativity of British fashion is totally exciting and Swarovski's really been supporting British fashion in the last ten years by working with young up-and-coming designers, said Swarovski. The Fashion Awards capped an impressive year for Brit Burberry designer Christopher Bailey, who was also awarded an MBE by the queen earlier this year.I think what makes this year so special is the energy... You know there is such a wonderful kind of energy amongst all the people who are working together. I think just the idea of everybody being excited about being in London, and I think the industry is on fire, said Bailey.