Autumn Style Awards return to Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival

kaia.nicholl@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 08:40, 11 October 2021

| Updated: 08:42, 11 October 2021

Newmarket's Rowley Mile racecourse was bustling with well-dressed racegoers on Friday, as the Autumn Style Awards returned.

Day one of the Dubai Future Champions Festival saw hundreds flock to watch the races, and showcase their Sunday best, following last year's Covid cancellation.

Velvet's Alice Ryan judged the contest alongside milliner Ana Pribylova of London's Ana Bella Millinery.

Top three Autumn Style Awards winners with the judges. Velvet Newmarket’s Autumn Style Awards Rowley Mile Racecourse Dubai Future Champions Festival. Picture by Mark Westley. (52113595)

“We were really impressed with some of the outfits we saw. Entrants had really paid attention to current trends, with jewel tones, floral prints, soft tailoring and pleating all featuring, and they’d also paid great attention to detail, making sure every element of the outfit, from hat right down to heels, worked perfectly," said Alice.

“There’s a different feel to autumn dressing, compared to summer, and even though we were lucky enough to have a mild and dry day, the classic elements of an autumn racing outfit were all there too: felt and fabric hats, as opposed to straw; sleeved rather than sleeveless dresses; pumps and boots instead of sandals.”

Previous years saw the Autumn Style Awards open to women only, but this year men were invited to don their best outfits too.

Alice said: “We saw some very smart tailoring, with three-piece suits still very popular, particularly in tweeds and dogtooth prints.”

The top ten best-dressed were awarded a Velvet goodie bag, which contained gifts from local brands including home fragrance from Suffolk's Cosy Aromas and bottles of Roundwood Gin.

Those in the top three won hundreds of pounds worth of prizes including an overnight stay at a Chestnut group property, a Fairfax & Favor Windsor leather handbag and a £350 Hobbs gift card.

First place: Georgie Shevki. Picture by Mark Westley.

Winner of first place, Georgie Shevki, a millinner from Snailwell who owns her own brand, Le Chapeau, said she was over the moon to have won.

“I’ve been the bridesmaid many times - I’ve been in the top 10 for the Style Awards and also came second in the Best Hat category a couple of Julys ago - so to finally be the bride is brilliant," she said.

"My outfit started with the hat - of course, being a milliner. We’ve had this felt and feather design at Le Chapeau for a little while and I loved the camel and the green in the feathers, so I took that palette as the basis."

Her green dress was from Coast and her fur stole was from Dune. The shoes were Dorothy Perkins and she completed the look with a Mulberry clutch bag.

“I’ve always loved racing. My dad and husband own Newmarket Racing Club; our family is Newmarket through and through. I’d encourage anyone to get dressed up and enter the Style Awards. Let’s be honest: what have you got to lose? It’s just a lovely day out," she added.

Second place: Emma Taylor. Picture by Mark Westley.

Emma Taylor, a pharmacy manager from Soham, came second with a pastel-pink and grey outfit including items from Amazon and Tesco.

“I’m so pleased to have come second! I was in the top 10 in the summer, so to make the top three now is lovely," she said.

"My best friend and I always get dressed up for the Style Awards; it’s just a great day out, isn’t it?

“This outfit started with the Ted Baker cape. It was actually my mum’s and she was going to sell it on Facebook for £20! I said ‘No way, I’ll have it’, then built the outfit around it.

"The hat was from a game fair, the scarf I ordered last minute from Amazon, the top’s Zara, the trousers are actually Tesco and the shoes are from Dune - they’re eight years old and I still love them.”

Third place: Aidan Jones. Picture by Mark Westley.

Aidan Jones, a student from London, came in third with his patterned three-piece suit.

“I feel amazing, honestly: I had a winner in the second race and now I’ve come top three in the best dressed competition! I’m hoping it’s a good omen. We decided to stop off here for the day on the way from London to Doncaster, as I’ve got an interview at the National Horseracing College tomorrow.

"The ambition is to work in stables or as an exercise rider. I got the bug when we started going to the races - we’ve been to Ascot, loads of courses. So wish me luck!

"I’d encourage any guys coming to the races to enter the Style Awards: it’s good fun and you never know, you might win.”

Other racegoers were seen in autumnal coats, outlandish hats and hairpieces, and impressive heels.