Sandy Powell will become the first costume designer to be awarded a Bafta Fellowship, when she receives the award at the Bafta Film Awards on February 19.
British costume designer Powell will receive Bafta’s highest award, which is given ‘in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television’, according to Bafta.
The Fellowship will be presented to Powell as part of a special commemoration of her work during the ceremony, which will be held at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.
“I am hugely flattered to receive the Bafta Fellowship and especially proud to be the first costume designer,” said Powell. “I am lucky in that I love what I do and have been extremely fortunate to have collaborated with some of the most talented and inspirational people in the industry both behind and in front of the camera. I look forward to many more years to come.”
A native of Brixton, London, Powell was mentored by late British director Derek Jarman in the 1980s, and designed costumes for his 1986 film Caravaggio.
She received her first Bafta and Oscar nominations for best costume design for Sally Potter’s Orlando in 1994.
Powell has been nominated for the best costume design prize 16 times at the Baftas, winning three – for Velvet Goldmine (1999), The Young Victoria (2010) and The Favourite (2019).
She has received 15 nominations at the Oscars, winning three – for Shakespeare In Love (1999), The Aviator (2005) and The Young Victoria (2010).
These nominations include three years in which she was twice-nominated, at both ceremonies – in 1999, 2016 and 2019.
Powell’s recent credits include Oliver Hermanus’ Living, which is up for three awards at the ceremony; and Marc Webb’s upcoming Snow White for Disney.
“Sandy Powell is not only a great designer, she is a great storyteller,” said Bafta CEO Jane Millichip, who is overseeing her first Film Awards since taking up the role in October 2022. “Her costumes are mesmerising in their beauty, but they also interpret narrative brilliantly and provide the infrastructure for character. For more than three decades, Sandy has raised awareness for the craft of costume design in film and provided a spotlight for designers in the act of filmmaking. We look forward to honouring Sandy’s work this month at our Bafta Film Awards and to working with her over the next year to inspire the next generation of costume designers and storytellers.”
Previous Bafta fellow include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, and the 2021 Fellow Ang Lee.
The 2023 ceremony will be hosted by Richard E. Grant, with presenter Alison Hammond hosting a new on-site Bafta Studio.
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