BRIT AwardsAfter it was announced the Brit Awards were moving to Manchester in 2026, a new design for the trophy has been unveiled – inspired by the city’s unique identity.
To mark Manchester’s first ever Brit Awards ceremony, designer Matthew Williamson has created an amber resin trophy – inspired by his own Manchester roots, and the worker bee, the city’s mascot.
Showcasing the design for the first time on Radio Manchester, Mr Williamson said he “wanted something that would really resonate with the city and the people of Manchester”.
The 49th annual Brit awards ceremony will be hosted at Manchester’s Co-op Live venue on 28 February – marking the first time the event has been held outside of London.
After 20 years in fashion, and 10 years in interior design, Mr Williamson is known for his use of bold colour and pattern – but he said while this might have been the more predictable route for the trophy, he wanted to focus on reflecting the city first and foremost.
“I wanted to pause, take stock and offer something truly personal to me,” Mr Williamson said.
“Above all, I wanted to ensure it connected to Manchester, the Brits’ new location and my hometown.
“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 – I was like, ‘that’s what I want this trophy to look like’.”
BRIT AwardsMr Williamson told Radio Manchester he wanted to create something “chic, elegant, and timeless” that each recipient would feel proud to own and display.
“The winners are gonna 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.”
‘Spirit to work hard’
He said his final design – of the Brit figure cast in an amber resign – 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.”
Mr 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 reflected.
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 Chair Stacey Tang said: “The Brits’ move to Manchester has 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.”