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Costume Designer Sandy Powell awarded BAFTA Fellowship – and don’t miss the TNMA podcast!

— by Alyson Walsh

Sandy Powell photos courtesy of Bafta

On Sunday, Sandy Powell will make history when she is handed the BAFTA Fellowship. Awarded for outstanding contribution to film, the arts charity’s highest honour has never before been given to a costume designer. Born in Brixton, 62-year-old Powell has worked with everyone from Sally Potter to Scorcese, Derek Jarman to Todd Haynes (Carol is one of the most visually stunning films). Having been nominated for both the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Costume Design 15 times, she is the most nominated costume designer in history, after Edith Head. Let’s hope she has time for a spot of mantlescaping next week, to create space alongside her three Oscars for the BAFTA Fellowship award.

As well as all the high-ranking directors, the Oscar-winning costume designer has collaborated with some of the biggest names in the acting world, including: Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Janelle Monáe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Olivia Colman, Colin Firth and Bill Nighy. Phew. And been fortunate enough to be invited onto the That’s Not My Age podcast. I loved talking about her career and philanthropic work – the podcast was recorded in 2020 when Powell was raising funds for Prospect Cottage and the charity Refuge. It was touch and go for a time, as she’s in constant demand and perennially busy but I was really impressed by Sandy Powell’s professionalism and willingness to work around her schedule to make the podcast happen. At one point she even offered to come round to That’s Not My Age Mansions after a dress fitting with Olivia Coleman…

 

Super-cool Sandy Powell

 

On being nominated for the BAFTA Fellowship, Powell said, ‘I am hugely flattered to receive the BAFTA Fellowship and especially proud to be the first Costume Designer. 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.’

 

Sharing the podcast again, in case you missed it the first time round.

 

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On Sunday, Sandy Powell will make history when she is handed the BAFTA Fellowship. Awarded for outstanding contribution to film, the arts charity’s highest honour has never before been given to …