Kate Hawley named Costume Designer of the Year at Fashion Awards 2025, for work in 'Frankenstein'

Kate Hawley has been named Costume Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards 2025, an honour presented by the British Fashion Council during its annual ceremony in London. The award recognises her work on Frankenstein, a production that has drawn significant industry attention for its design craft.

Commentary accounts on social media noted that they were “so glad she is getting her flowers,” while filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reacted to the announcement by writing “The best – the very best!” on X. 

Kate Hawley approached Frankenstein’s costume design as a blend of period authenticity and symbolic storytelling. For the film she researched mid-19th-century styles for the outfits of men and monsters, but under guidance from Guillermo del Toro she avoided a purely historical aesthetic.

Instead, Hawley mixed Victorian references with contemporary influences — for example Victor Frankenstein’s rock’n’roll plaid pants and red gloves — to reflect a more modern, almost punk-tinged sensibility within a gothic fantasy world. 

For the character of Elizabeth, Hawley drew heavily on natural motifs and metaphorical symbolism to bring her inner life to the surface. In a film-official post she described how Elizabeth’s knitted moth shawls and bonnet were crafted using “fractal patterns inspired by the language of Moth wings,” intertwining nature, transformation and metamorphosis into the costumes.

The British Fashion Council described the event as a major fundraiser supporting its Foundation, which provides scholarships and initiatives for emerging talent. The ceremony was hosted by Colman Domingo and featured appearances from leading figures in fashion, film and music.

Alongside Hawley’s recognition, the evening included awards for Jonathan Anderson, Sarah Burton, Grace Wales Bonner, Anok Yai, Little Simz and others.