Yahoo News Princess Anne makes her London Fashion Week debut to present award to British jewellery brand Alighieri
HRH Princess Anne was the star guest on the final day of London Fashion Week this afternoon to present designer Rosh Mahtani of fine jewellery brand Alighieri the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
At an event fittingly held at The Crypt of St Etheldreda's Church, just a stone’s throw from the capital’s iconic jewellery quarter Hatton Garden and the label’s own studio atelier, the Princess Royal - who cut a fashionable figure in a forest green skirt suit and her signature chignon - joined fashion insiders including Vogue editor Edward Enninful and British Fashion Council chair Stephanie Phair as 31-year-old Mahtani unveiled her latest collection.
Key to the designer’s vision, staged within an immersive exhibition, were delicate chainmail dresses adorned with crystals and tabard tops crafted entirely from fine gold chains shells, along with chunky gold necklaces and coin pendants.
“Each year this award has gone to a slightly different part of the fashion world,” said the Princess Royal, who is president of the UK Fashion and Textile Association. “It’s entirely appropriate that we should not forget that jewellery is a key part of fashion.”
She also commended London’s reputation as a global authority on jewellery manufacture, both throughout history and in future years to come.
“You only have to look at the work of Goldsmiths to see the impact they’ve had over the years and still continue to have,” she added.
Mahtani, who was born in London and raised in Zambia, studied French and Italian literature at Oxford University before falling in love with jewellery design and founding her label in 2014. Since then, she has built a world renowned business with a £3.2m turnover in 2018.
It was this unlikely success story within the notoriously difficult fashion industry that resulted in Mahtani being crowned the award’s third recipient.
“I’m delighted that fine jewellery has made it to this award winner and particularly this individual, who has found her own way of getting her creations right to the forefront of the market,” said the Princess Royal. “To be able to do that here I hope will be of enormous assistance to her in the future.”
Mahtani joins celebrity favourite Richard Quinn and ethically-minded menswear designer Bethany Williams in this exclusive pool of London designers with the prestigious award to their name.
Today she gave thanks to the “family” of jewellery craftsman in the local community who have helped her reach her goal.
“I stumbled into their casting workshop one day with a little wax that had lots of holes in it and was all broken but they didn’t laugh in my face and they’ve been sporting me ever since,” said the designer. “It’s a lot of thanks to them that we’ve managed to build this.”
