Today the iconic British Fashion Awards is taking place to recognise the most influential people in the industry and celebrate the best in British fashion.

The annual event commends the reputation and development of British fashion and it awards the ultimate accolade “Designer of the Year” to the leading British based designer who has directly shaped fashion in the past year. The hotly contested award for 2011 is between Sarah Burton for McQueen, Christopher Kane and Erdem.

There are various categories to which people are nominated for but Sir Paul Smith has already been announced the winner of BFC Outstanding Achievement.

Harold Tillman CBE, Chairman of the British Fashion Council, said: “This year’s nominees demonstrate the breadth and creativity London has to offer. The fashion brands and designers that are based here set the trends across the globe.”

The Awards, which is sponsored by HSBC, MAC, Toni & Guy and Vodafone, was celebrated for the first-time this year with a ‘Born to Walk Tall’; a fashion mile walk to honour the critical work performed by doctors, nurses and midwives worldwide. It was led by Save the Children and British Fashion Council ambassador Samantha Cameron and took place from Downing Street to Somerset House to raise awareness of the vital role health-workers play in making sure that children survive to take their first steps.

The nominations were made by key UK and international opinion formers within the fashion industry and the lucky winners were chosen by panels of leading British and international media and buyers.

The categories include;

-          Designer Brand

-          Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator,

-          Emerging Talent Awards (accessories, ready to wear, menswear)

-          Red Carpet Award

-          British Style Award

-          Model

-          Accessory Designer

-          Menswear Designer

-          Designer of the Year

Join in the festivities with Ulster Weavers British-themed ranges! We have lots of textiles and homeware products that are themed with the UK including linen tea towels and canvas bags. So show your patriotism to Her Majesty The Queen and your country with our vast array of kitchen essentials.

Watch the awards and drink a piping hot cup of tea from one of our British-themed bone china mugs and take the tea out of the oven with our Union Jack oven gloves whilst wearing themed PVC aprons.

British Cats Reversible Cotton Bag

British Cats PVC Apron

Union Jack Double Oven Glove

As far as textbook males go, David Beckham is the ultimate example.

The 36 year-old is a football legend, has a ripped body most men would die for and most women would crave, and he is a doting father.

But when you think that somebody could not get any more perfect, the superman goes one step further and reveals that in fact he is a culinary god.

David is obviously no ordinary man, as he posted a picture on social networking site Facebook of some delicious food that he had cooked himself captioned: “A little something I made earlier…a home-made Risotto for the family…”

So whilst his wife Victoria Beckham is looking after their newly born daughter Harper Seven, as well as their other three children, the footballer is giving her a break from cooking duties and creating a feast himself.

Who would have thought that ‘Golden Balls’ would be a domestic king (opposite to domestic goddess)?

Well it turns out that Becks has mastered his culinary skills from enrolling on a cookery course in Milan. He told the Daily Mail last year: “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always loved cooking. Now I’m in Italy, I want to learn how to make amazing pasta.

“It’s gone from a small ambition of wanting to learn how to make pasta to the extreme of doing this course professional chefs do. It’s something I’m passionate about.”

And here at Ulster Weavers we can only imagine that David has picked up some top tips from his best friend and famous chef Gordon Ramsay.

Train your man to get domestic in the kitchen with some manly aprons, so he has no excuse in getting involved. And with our fantastic range of men’s aprons he can look completely macho at the same time as well as looking the part!

Ulster Weavers vast range of cotton and pvc aprons comes in all different styles, shapes and colours. Our Licenced to Grill Apron is perfect for a barbecue in the summer, or the Lobster Cotton Apron is great for him if he likes eating fish.  Go simple but classic in a Chambray Charcoal Cotton Apron, or make a statement as the top dog with Ulster’s Master Chef Cotton Apron.

Click here to check out the endless choices of men aprons!

Chambray Charcoal Cotton Apron

Lobster Cotton Apron

Master Chef Cotton Apron

Kate Middleton painting, pity she's not wearing an apron

A celebrity doesn’t really have much spare time on their hands what with being a celeb and partying and working; but how do they relax when they have precious time off?

Some famous stars have openly spoken out about getting some down time by knitting, listening to music and hanging out with friends and family. So it may come as a surprise that a bunch of icons also enjoy doing arts and crafts.

Richard Madeley who is widely known as being a British TV presenter, who fronted the show This Morning with his wife Judy, reportedly loves arts and crafts. His daughter Chloe Madeley told Heat magazine that her dad hearts biros and bits of paper and that he loves making banners.

The Londoner’s big secret has been let slip that he makes his own banners with multi-coloured biros, not paint or crayons. Awww bet he got tons of practises in when Chloe was taking part in the ITV reality television show “Dancing on Ice”!

And even the royals have been publicly showing off their artistic talents whilst painting with school children on their visit to Los Angeles, America.

HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton promoted a visual arts and performance organisation during their royal tour by sitting down in a classroom and creating their own art pieces.

Will, the future King of England, painted an abstract square whereas Kate painted a red snail.

So express your inner imagination and have fun getting creative with the help of Ulster Weavers and our fantastic aprons. And get the kids involved too to pass the time on these hot sunny days with our cute childrens aprons- they are brilliant to protect clothing from paint splash backs!

Painting Child's PVC Apron

Domestic Goddess PVC Apron

Betty Shaped Cotton Apron