What Happened at the 2025 Fashion Media Awards During New York Fashion Week

The elevator doors opened to the 65th floor, and just like that, we were swept into a night of flashbulbs, fashion, and finesse. On September 12, 2025, The Daily Front Row’s 12th Annual Fashion Media Awards (FMAs) returned to the quintessential venue for high society moments: the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. With its cinematic skyline views and storied Art Deco charm, it was a fitting stage for honoring the industry's most transformative figures.

Hosted by fashion historian and “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” personality Bronwyn Newport, the evening honored the creatives shaping fashion media today, from legends and tastemakers to fresh talents making their debut on the scene. Everyone came dressed to impress, buzzing with that unmistakable Fashion Week adrenaline.

The 2025 honorees spanned generations and disciplines, blending household names with emerging visionaries:

• Style Icon: mgk, presented by Pete Davidson

• Fashion Legend: Iman, presented by Anok Yai

• Creatives of the Year: Laura Kim & Fernando Garcia, Oscar de la Renta & Monse, presented by Law Roach

• Magazine of the Year: Cultured Magazine, accepted by Sarah Harrelson, Editor-in-Chief, presented by Amy Sherald

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Pamela Hanson, presented by Christy Turlington

• Emerging Artist: Ashwin Gane, presented by Busta Rhymes

• Fashion Innovator: Zac Posen, presented by Brooks Nader

• Campaign of the Year: Trey Laird for Hugo Boss, presented by Amelia Gray

• Impact Innovation Award: Mary Alice Stephenson, GLAM4GOOD, presented by Dee Hilfiger

• Breakthrough Beauty Brand: Marianne Fonseca, Gente Beauty, presented by Fernanda Giménez

We spoke with mgk about how it feels to receive the Style Icon Award and how his fashion has evolved over the years. To see a clip of our interview, click the video below.

In true mgk fashion, the Style Icon award felt less like a title and more like a confirmation. With a style that veers between punk, glam, and everything in between, he’s managed to push boundaries while never losing his sense of self. Pete Davidson’s intro added the perfect comedic twist to the moment.

The crowd was just as headline-worthy as the honorees themselves. Tommy Hilfiger, Law Roach, Christy Turlington, Busta Rhymes, Nicky Hilton, Amy Sherald, Amelia Gray, Fernanda Giménez, Joe Manganiello, Drew Taggart, and Ishaan Khattar were just a few of the faces spotted mingling, snapping photos, and catching up during brief breaks in the program.

It truly was a celebration of community. Friends, collaborators, and admirers filled the space with conversations that bounced between next season’s trends and this week’s show highlights.

We got to speak to the one and only Tiffany Haddish, who was in attendance. She shared how New York Fashion Week has been treating her and what she was most excited about for the evening. To see a clip of our interview, click the video below.

True to form, Tiffany Haddish brought the fun, and some of the best energy of the night. She shared her favorite Fashion Week moments so far and what she was most looking forward to at the FMAs.

The Fashion Media Awards never take themselves too seriously, and that’s what makes them such a standout during Fashion Week. They're the kind of event where you’ll see a supermodel and a breakout artist trading notes at the bar, or a legendary designer in deep conversation with a Gen Z content creator.

It was a night that honored fashion’s past, present, and what’s next, all in one room. And judging by the looks, laughs, and love in the air, the future’s in pretty good hands.