The Brits were back on fashion-force at this week's British Fashion Awards. Held at the Victoria and Albert museum, designers and celebrities dressed up in style for the sophisticated, yet low-key event. Hosted by Kirsty Young, who looked stunning in an elegant halterneck column dress by Roland Mouret, many of the evening's stars chose beautiful red-carpet dresses and understated elegance over the season's fashion trends.

Winner of the best retailer award, net-a-porter.com's Nathalie Massenet, wore a silk gauze, tiered black dress by Moschino, as did up-and-coming actress Sienna Guillory in a mini dress with chiffon sleeves from the same label. Other well known guests included actress Joely Richardson, who wore a sheen-satin, strapless balck cocktail dress and model Erin O'Connor who wore a full-lenth fringed Missoni halter neck dress.

Guests draped faux and real fur shrugs over their shoulders to keep the cold at bay in the draughty museum foyer. Chloe's designer Phoebe Philo, who won Designer of the Year award, chose a mohair version of the shrug. Bryan Ferry's girlfriend, however, had no qualms about wearing the real thing.