Known as fashion’s fairy godmother for the support she lends young design talent, Lulu Kennedy has just added another accolade to her resume: Member of the British Empire for services to fashion.

She collected her award today from Her Majesty The Queen – suitably attired in the designs of her protégées and , with her blue wedge sandals a collaboration between van der Ham and Christian Louboutin.

“Today was such an honour for me and something I will never forget,” said Kennedy. “I only wish I had been able to take each and every one of my designers with me. I can’t wait to celebrate with them this evening.”

Next week the Lulu & Co SS12 collection will make its debut on Asos.com with new designers for this season’s collection including Maarten van der Horst and Marques’Almeida, who both showed with Fashion East in September.