Naomi Campbell to be honored with the Fashion Icon Award
Popular black American model and entrepreneur occasionally referred to as “The catwalk queen” – Naomi Campbell – will be honored with the prestigious Icon Prize at the 2019 Fashion Awards ceremony in December.
The 49-year-old supermodel is being recognized for her impact on the industry, as well as her philanthropist work with charities, and service for a more diverse and equal future, especially in Africa.
The model will be conferred with the Fashion Icon Award at a ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London on December 2, the British Fashion Council (BFC) announced.
The BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said: “We can’t think of a more deserving candidate than iconic Londoner Naomi Campbell. She has achieved exceptional work in the fashion industry.”
“Naomi is an advocate for female empowerment, activism, and glamour, and her voice is being used for great impact.”
“We are excited to honor Naomi with the Fashion Icon Award and acknowledge her for her remarkable contribution to the global fashion industry and we look forward to celebrating with her in London in December.”
To concur with the announcement, Campbell disclosed that her charity Fashion for Relief, catwalk show, would take place during London fashion week in September. The event, which debuted in 2005, has raised funds for those affected by natural disasters including the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
In some series back she has brought in a host of her celebrity friends to ensure the show is headline news, including the Duchess of York and Kate Moss. She said this year’s event would be very special.
Black London-born Campbell was discovered as a schoolgirl and she went on to become the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. Thereon, Campbell made history with her appearance as the first black British model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in 1987 and the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue the following year. She has appeared on the front page of more than 500 magazines to date.
She is also famous for her charity work, and in 2005 founded Fashion For Relief, a charity merging fashion and philanthropy.
An elated Naomi posted on IG account, “I’m so passionate about and excited to receive the Fashion Icon award on 2 December at The Fashion Awards-2019 in London. After 3 decades of working in the fashion industry and study it from all aspects, touring the world and finding the purpose of their life in activism, especially for me so that I returned to London to receive this incredible recognition of my work and life. Thank you, everyone, who was a part of my journey from day one Still date.”
