An annual event, the Awards aren’t just an opportunity for designers, editors, models and everyone else to get drunk together, like an industry-wide Christmas party (though they are that, too). The ceremony is a key fundraising event for the British Fashion Council’s charities , which support fashion education programmes and scholarships, funding and mentoring for emerging talents, and hardship funds to help students struggling with money to complete their education. Known previously as the British Fashion Awards, the 'British' tag was dropped in 2016 in recognition of the global focus of the ceremony – a focus reinforced this year with the addition of the 'NEW WAVE: Creatives' list of 100 emerging talents in a range of fashion disciplines, from all around the world.