Cate Blanchett, Claudia Winkleman and Mikey Madison: Inside the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards

Impeccably-heeled figures from the worlds of film, fashion, literature, music, sport and the arts descended on Claridges for the annual Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards on Thursday night.

Statement gowns were the order of the day, with Cate Blanchett looking typically regal in a resplendent constellation-print Mary Katrantzou creation, while Mikey Madison channelled Old Hollywood glamour with a strapless Dior number. Elsewhere, Isla Fisher ruled the red carpet in a lace cap-sleeve gown and Cat Deeley tapped into her inner ‘70s goddess with a bell sleeved dress and chain-link belt.

The marble foyer set the stage for gleeful catch-ups, whispered snippets of gossip and of course, the perfectly-timed air kiss, with Rivals co-stars Bella Maclean and Alex Hassell reuniting and Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg catching up with comedian Leo Reich over flutes of Veuve Clicquot.

Claudia Winkleman

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Mikey Madison and Taylor Russell

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Cat Deeley and Holly Willoughby

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Once seated in the ballroom for the awards, there was plenty of laughter (and some tears). Hassell had guests cackling as he paid tribute to the ultimate “silly billy” Maclean before presenting her with the Breakthrough gong. Maclean fought back tears as she gave a moving shout-out to late Rivals author, Dame Jilly Cooper onstage.

“I want to thank Jilly, for not only giving me a role that helped me launch my career,” she said. “But also giving me a character that’s taught me so much about humanity and made me reflect on how I want to show up in the world.” With a glance skyward in recognition of the legendary writer, she added: “So thank you, Jilly.”

Author Emma Freud, meanwhile, had guests in stitches with her equally moving and ludicrous speech about longtime friend Claudia Winkleman, who won the Television Icon award fresh off the back of Celebrity Traitors’ ratings triumph. Freud described her friend as one of the “best people”, before quipping that she dresses like she is “depressed” and hasn’t seen the “upper half of her face in years” thanks to her infamous fringe.

Elizabeth Debicki and Cate Blanchett

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Alex Hassell and Bella Maclean

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Sam Taylor-Johnson, Lesley Manville and Isla Fisher

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Winkleman upped the comedy stakes as she accepted the accolade, admitting that she became so engrossed in the Traitors this year that she “forgot” she had a son. When her husband brought up their 15-year-old son Arthur’s biology test while she was away filming, she recalled replying, “Who’s Arthur?” prompting the ballroom to erupt with guffaws. “He’s fine, whatever,” she added in her typical deadpan fashion, before insisting: “He’ll never see this.”

Other winners on the night included Blanchett, who picked up the Theatre Actress accolade presented by fellow actress Elizabeth Debicki, for her dual-role performance in the National Theatre’s production of Electra/Persona, while Academy and BAFTA Award winner Madison was named Film Actress of the Year, following her Oscar-winning turn in Anora and searing portrayal of a real-life whistleblower in The Social Reckoning.

Dimoldenberg received the Innovator Award, while Givenchy Creative Director Sarah Burton was feted with the Designer Award and Sam Taylor-Johnson picked up the Artist of the Year gong.

Alison Forth and Lydia Slater

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Britain’s fastest woman, Dina Asher-Smith, received the Sporting Inspiration Award in recognition of her record-breaking run at the European Championships and lasting impact on British sport, moving audiences with a poignant speech about the multi-faceted nature of female athletes, who are more than just the “tiny men” they are perceived to be by society.

Indhu Rubasingham and Kate Varah, joint powerhouses behind the National Theatre’s renaissance, both received the Change-Maker Award for their transformative leadership, championing new voices, broadening access and shaping the future of British theatre.

Harper’s Bazaar Editor-in-Chief Lydia Slater honoured screen and stage legend Glenn Close with the Icon Award in recognition of her five-decade career portraying complex, challenging women and Stephanie Cavalli was named Model of the Year after a landmark year that saw her challenge industry conventions and become a powerful symbol of age inclusivity in fashion.