Like so many major events this year, the Green Carpet Fashion Awards (GCFA) didn’t hold a traditional red carpet event. Instead, the awards show – hosted by Camera Nazionale Della Moda Italiana and Eco-Age – was digital, and it certainly took advantage of all the possibilities going virtual can bring.
The show was just as full of famous faces as we’ve come to expect, with Zendaya, Julianne Moore, Robert Downey Jr, Lewis Hamilton, Cate Blanchett and more, all coming together to celebrate the best in sustainable and innovative fashion. Here’s what you might have missed.
Unsurprisingly, Zendaya stole the show
Zendaya was this year’s recipient of the GCFA Visionary Award. The GCFA said she “not only has long been leading the charge to increase both inclusivity and diversity in fashion, but she has persevered in how she can personally make a difference in the industry, using her platform as an actress and as a creative, to open doors and give a voice to those who otherwise would not be able to showcase their talent”.
The 24-year-old actor – who has also helped design fashion collections with Tommy Hilfiger – received her award in a suitable style, wearing a brown Versace dress from 1996, the year she was born.
Zendaya Wasn’t the Only Celeb Wearing Sustainable Fashion
Sustainable fashion was front and center. Iris Law, model, and daughter of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, wore a colorful Missoni dress, writing on Instagram: “The dress is made of recycled plastic bottles and upcycled Missoni threads”.
Alexa Chung dipped into her own archives, choosing a gold Prada dress she’s worn before. Meanwhile, Ellie Goulding chose a vibrant green dress by Ralph & Russo for the night, featuring over 150 responsibly sourced Zambian emeralds.
When you own such beautiful dresses, why wouldn’t you want to wear one again? This might have been the thought running through Regina King’s head, who donned a sparkly Prada gown she previously wore to this year’s Oscars party.
Technology Played a Big Part
Technology plays a huge part in sustainable fashion, from finding new eco-friendly materials to developing innovative ways to create less waste. Hence why it made sense for the virtual fashion awards to be a technological extravaganza. Some of the celebrity presenters featured as hologram, while, using augmented reality and visual FX, the setting of the awards was Milan’s La Scala opera house, transformed into a virtual terrarium.
There Were Five Big Winners
Normally, awards shows have countless statues to hand out, making for quite long evenings. For the GCFA, there were just five to “celebrate exceptional individuals and companies that have transformed the possibilities of fashion this year”. One went to Zendaya, while the Responsible Disruption Award went to Progetto Quid, an ethical Italian fashion brand that helps provide jobs for those who might struggle to find them. According to the GCFA, 70% of Progetto Quid’s employees are vulnerable women.
Sindiso Khumalo won the award for Best Independent Designer; Italian artisans across the country won the GCFA Art of Craftsmanship Award and the North Star Award for extraordinary leadership went to the UN for its Sustainable Development Goals.
