The annual initiative recognizes 50 emerging creatives across photography, styling, beauty, casting, production, and other disciplines ahead of The Fashion Awards 2026
The British Fashion Council has announced its 2026 NEW WAVE: Creatives honorees ahead of The Fashion Awards 2026, recognizing 50 emerging talents whose work contributes to the creative landscape of the global fashion industry. Spanning disciplines from photography and styling to beauty, casting, and production, the annual initiative highlights the individuals shaping fashion’s visual and cultural identity beyond the design studio.
This year’s selection reflects the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of fashion’s creative ecosystem, with honorees working across editorial imagery, runway presentations, digital media, and artistic production. Alongside established categories such as photography, makeup artistry, hairstyling, and casting, the 2026 program introduces beauty commentary, production, and sound design, acknowledging the expanding range of creative practices involved in contemporary fashion communication.
Among the honorees are photographers Salomé Gomis-Trezise, Wendy Huynh, Will Bruce, Ana Garcia, Steve Ney, Julius Bohlin, Elliot Hensford, Ayaka Endo, Winter Vandenbrink, Tre Koch, Aleks Soroka, Jebi Labembika, Chessa Subbiondo, and Ava Van Osdol. The selection brings together image-makers working across international creative centers, including London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, and Amsterdam, reflecting the global reach of the initiative.
Fashion styling is represented by Melina Agbaba, Seyon Amosu, Chino Castilla, Natasha Ribas, and Tess Herbet, while creative directors Bevan Agyemang and Jess Canje are also recognized. Casting directors Lisa Dymph Megens and Lina Eldali join the list, alongside cultural commentators Chani Ra, Biz Sherbert, Antonio Padilla, and Shuang Bright. Together, these categories recognize the creative decisions and perspectives that shape how fashion is presented, interpreted, and experienced.
Beauty remains a significant focus of the program, with hairstylists Vera Mai Ha, Rebecca Chang, Carlo Avena, Jadis Jolie, Louis Souvestre, and Gabriel de Fries among this year’s recipients. Makeup artists Thierry do Nascimento, Ruben Masoliver, Valentina Li, Leana Ardeleanu, Joe Brooks, and Tina Khatri are also recognized, alongside nail artists Ema Meada and Nikki Panic. The newly introduced beauty commentary category includes Kicki Yang Zhang, Mei Pang, and August, reflecting the growing influence of independent voices and digital platforms in shaping beauty culture.
The selection also extends to creative disciplines that traditionally receive less public recognition within the fashion industry. Florist Julia Campbell Gillies, set designer Fritz Schiffers, producers Shay Johnson and Michelle Smith, and sound designer Baby Cousland are among the honorees, underscoring the importance of the wider creative teams responsible for developing fashion’s imagery, environments, and experiences.
The NEW WAVE: Creatives initiative draws on the perspectives of an established network of fashion professionals. This year’s panel includes Aidan Zamiri, Ali Pirzadeh, Ben Grimes, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Ib Kamara, Isabella Burley, Jordan Hemingway, Simone Rocha, Tolu Coker, Steff Yotka, and Tati Cotliar, among others. Their participation connects the emerging honorees with an international community of creative leaders working across fashion, media, and the arts.
As fashion’s creative output increasingly extends across physical presentations, digital platforms, and cultural storytelling, the 2026 NEW WAVE: Creatives selection offers a broader view of the talent shaping the industry’s future. By recognizing practitioners both in front of and behind the scenes, the British Fashion Council continues to emphasize the collaborative nature of fashion and the importance of nurturing the next generation of creative voices.