The Harper’s Bazaar ‘Women of the Year 2018’ Award Goes to……….
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer
It is the time of the year for thanks to be given and praises to be spoken. It all began at the close of October with Harper’s Bazaar ‘Women of the Year 2018’ award ceremony.
Each year the respected publication chooses those individuals displaying a heartfelt commitment and a profound sense of sisterhood throughout the year. This year’s ceremony was held on October 30th, 2018 at The Ballroom of Claridge’s in London. The awards event was held in partnership with Michael Kors and Mercedes-Benz. The Harper’s Bazaar ‘Women of the Year 2018’ include:
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY – Not only is Keira a celebrated actress nominated for both Golden Globe and Academy Awards, but she is also a very dedicated mother, balancing her career and motherhood and still maintaining her individuality. Although the challenges are real, Knightley is thankful for all the experiences that have shaped the woman that she is today.
CAMERON RUSSELL – A model and activist, Cameron made quite a lasting impression six years ago as she delivered a speech “Looks Aren’t Everything. Believe me, I’m a Model†at a TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Conference. Besides being a model, she graduated with top honors in economics and political science and has gained a deep level of respect.
CLARE WAIGHT KELLER – This artistic director working for designer Givenchy will go down in fashion history as the creator behind the gorgeous wedding gown that was worn by bride, Meghan Markle. She is a very talented designer who began her career at Calvin Klein. Being gifted with this title is not her first honor. In 2007, Clare was awarded ‘Designer of the Year’ in the Cashmere category at the Scottish Fashion Awards.
FLORENCE PUGH – At the young age of 22, Florence is an extraordinary actress, receiving a starring role in the spy thriller, “The Little Drummer Girl.†She has had a variety of roles in a very short period of time and has even been recognized with the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress.
GEMMA ARTERTON – Admired for her self-confidence and strength, Gemma is an actress who has fulfilled many acting roles, including playing a Bond Girl. She puts her heart and soul into each assignment and has no fear of taking on controversial roles such as Alice Creed in “The Disappearance of Alice Creedâ€. In 2011, Gemma was awarded ‘Woman of the Year – Film Actress’ by Glamour Magazine. She is inspiring to those seeking entrance into the world of entertaining, possessing a strong sense of character.
GILLIAN WEARING – Creativity and strength of character have made Gillian a groundbreaker of the arts. She is best known for her bronze statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square in Westminster, London, England. She has won numerous awards for her art and in 2007 was elected as a lifetime member of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Gillian believes in showing raw emotion in every work of art that she produces. She is not afraid to show what life is truly about.
GINA MILLER – A stimulating speaker, Gina inspires with her continued passion to champion democracy and equality. Gina frequently has a very vocal voice, speaking out on domestic abuse, the only way to promote change and action. She founded the True & Fair Campaign in 2012 which called for an end to financial misconduct in the investment and pension industries. Coming out of that was her True & Fair Foundation. Gina continues to campaign for what she believes in.
JENNA COLEMAN – Recognized for her dramatic role in “The Cryâ€, Jenna becomes the role that she portrays and enjoys every minute of acting. She was nominated for the Most Popular Newcomer Award at the 2006 National Television Awards and continues to impress her fans and critics alike. Coleman is involved with philanthropy in South Africa and raises awareness for HIV. She is Ambassador for One to One Children’s Fund and Place2Be, an organization providing emotional and therapeutic services in schools.
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – A British icon in her own right, Kristin’s talent is far reaching. She has played many powerful roles in ‘The English Patient’ and ‘Darkest Hour’. She has been nominated numerous times, proving just how accomplished her career has been. Thomas was named as one of the 50 best-dressed women over 50 by The Guardian in 2013. With so many successful years of acting to her name, Kristin Scott Thomas is beginning the next chapter of her career with a directorial debut.
KYLIE MINOGUE – This singer is legendary in the world of pop music. Kylie has been recognized as the highest-selling Australian artist of all time by the Australian Recording Industry Association. Philanthropy is very important to the singer, especially when it comes to raising funds to support cancer research as Kylie is a cancer survivor herself. Music is in her heart and just this year, she released a new album called ‘Golden’.
LAUREN CUTHBERTSON – There is no better contributor to culture than this lovely principal dancer. Her career with The Royal Ballet in London has been one of beauty and grace, inspiring women with the magic that this amazing dancer brings to the stage. Lauren has won more than a handful of awards including Young British Dancer of the Year in 2001. Her love of ballet will take her far in life.
LILY JAMES – A versatile actress, Lily is enchanting, capturing the love of her audience almost immediately. She has portrayed roles on both television and film, putting her entire being into every character she plays. This is not the first time that she has impressed Harper’s Bazaar. In 2015, the publication chose her for the Women’s of the Year Breakthrough Award.
SARAH WATERS – As a writer, Sarah’s topics are far from the norm. She earned her doctorate and as she chose to write novels, it was befitting to her analytical nature since writing can be very research intensive. Waters has received awards for her natural-born talent, most notably winning “Writer of the Year†in 2006 and 2009 at the annual Stonewall Awards.
SUSIE CAVE – Love, loss and salvation are all spun together in the oh so dramatic dresses from this multi-talented creator of the label known as ‘The Vampire’s Wife.’ She has attracted clients such as Dakota Johnson, Cate Blanchett and Lily James with her unique designs. She has left a lasting imprint on many who have seen her collections and dared to make the clothing their own.
NICOLE ATIENO – The breakthrough model of our time, Nicole hails from Kenya and is in high demand on the catwalks and in print ads. She has already worked with such well-known designers as Gucci, Zac Posen, Bottega Veneta and Valentino. Her career is taking off dramatically and we will be seeing her in fashion modeling for a long time to come.
All these women are so deserving of Harper Bazaar’s Women of the Year 2018 title. The great work they are doing today is shaping our tomorrows.
Photos Credit : 1st photo of Keira Knightley to Jeff Spicer/Getty Images Europe, The rest Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar.
