Williamson's Brits trophy 'inspired by Manchester'

Williamson said he wanted winners to want to put his design "on the mantelpiece"

Matthew Williamson has unveiled his "chic, elegant and timeless" design for the Brit Awards trophy ahead of the ceremony making its debut in his home city of Manchester in 2026.

The fashion and interiors designer said his trophy, an amber resin piece, was inspired by his own Manchester roots and the "golden honey of a worker bee", the insect which has been used by the city to symbolise its industry and togetherness.

Showcasing the design for the first time on BBC Radio Manchester, Williamson said he "wanted something that would really resonate with the city and the people of Manchester".

Brit Awards chairwoman Stacey Tang said the organisation "couldn't be more pleased with what Matthew has created".

The 49th annual awards ceremony will be hosted at Manchester's Co-op Live venue on 28 February.

It will be the first time the event has been held outside of London.

Williamson, whose long career in fashion and interior design has seen him work with famous names such as actresses Sienna Miller and Andrea Riseborough and brands like Pucci and Swarovski, is known for his use of bold colour and pattern.

However, he said he had wanted to forego that more predictable route for the trophy design and instead focus on the city.

"I wanted to pause, take stock and offer something truly personal to me," he said.

"Above all, I wanted to ensure it connected to Manchester, the Brits' new location and my hometown."

He said the design had come to him in the most unlikely of places.

"I was in my kitchen, sort of dropping honey from a jar and taking pictures of it as it fell and it created this puddle of a deeper sort of amber tone," he said.

"I was like, 'that's what I want this trophy to look like'."

The Brits trophy is updated for each ceremony and has previously been designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood, Sir Peter Blake and Dame Tracey Emin.

Williamson told BBC Radio Manchester he wanted to create something "chic, elegant and timeless" that each recipient would feel proud to own and display.

"The winners are going to have pretty sassy homes," he said.

"I don't want it to be a doorstop or in the bottom drawer, I want it to be on the mantelpiece."

Williamson showed off his design at the University of Manchester

He said his final design reflected "the golden honey of a worker bee, symbolising the city's role during the Industrial Revolution and so much more".

"This spirit to work hard and be part of the essential fabric of the nation still resonates with me today.

"The Brits also represents the global reach of British music and so I designed the statue to sit on top of a globe.

"I imagine each deserving winner will feel on top of the world as they receive their award and I cannot wait to see the trophy I designed being part of the celebrations on the night."

The worker bee has been a symbol for Manchester since the mid-1800s and is seen as emblematic of both the city's spirit of industry and its residents' willingness to help one another.

Williamson said it was an honour and a career highlight to have been chosen to design the trophy.

"The Brits is an event I've watched since childhood and I'm still so immersed in it to this day," he said.

"I've always looked at it in awe and wonder, so to even be offered this opportunity feels like a real milestone moment."

Brit Awards chairwoman Stacey Tang said the move to Manchester had "enabled us to think about how we do things in such a brilliant and different way, so I am delighted that Matthew accepted the invitation to design the award for next year's show".

"We couldn't be more pleased with what Matthew has created," she added.