Priya Ahluwalia has been honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
Priya Ahluwalia
As London Fashion Week wrapped on Tuesday (23.02.21), the renowned menswear designer became the fourth recipient of the special honour, which the British monarch inaugurated in 2018 with the aim of “making a difference to society through either sustainable practices or community engagement.”
Sophie, Countess of Wessex - who is married to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, the youngest son of the Queen and Prince Philip - presented Ahluwalia with the accolade on behalf of Her Majesty during a webinar.
The designer - who launched her debut collection in 2018 - was recognised for her eponymous label Ahluwalia, which celebrates her dual Indian-Nigerian heritage and London upbringing, and prioritises sustainability.
Ahluwalia - who has countless awards to her name and was named in Forbes 30 under 30 list for 2020 - was also sent one of the trophies created by the queen’s designer Angela Kelly.
Speaking to the countess, the fashion muse explained that while she is keen to branch out into different areas such as womenswear and homeware, her intention is to always "amplify different communities and voices".
She said: "I’m a menswear designer, but there are so many things I’d love to branch into. Womenswear and accessories; I’m obsessed with homewear. But among all that, I’m always trying to create interesting projects - books, films - that amplify different communities and voices. And, I guess, to have a leadership position in advocating for positive change within our industry. And to have fun at the same time!"
In 2020, jewellery brand Alighieri’s founder Rosh Mahtani was awarded the prize, while the first-ever Queen Elizabeth II Award was presented to designer Richard Quinn in 2018, when the queen made her London Fashion Week debut alongside Anna Wintour.