A family-run costume business has won a Bafta for “outstanding contribution to British film” after dressing stars for seven generations.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts awarded Hendon-based Angels Costumes with the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award at London’s Royal Opera House on Sunday evening.

Angels was founded in 1840 by a German Jewish immigrant who came up with the idea of a costume business when an actor asked to rent a suit, rather than buy one.

The business now has a 160,000 sq ft warehouse and makes outfits for award-winning films, most recently The Grand Budapest Hotel , The Imitation Game , The Theory of Everything , The Danish Girl and Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie.

The 175-year old firm’s chairman Tim Angel collected the prize from Cate Blanchett at the awards ceremony.

He told the audience: “We’ve built a world-class family business around a passion for clothes, heritage and excellence.

But as behind-the-scenes people our contribution is not normally recognised, so receiving such recognition from Bafta is simply wonderful.”

A member of West London Synagogue, Mr Angel said the company “sends costumes around the world, brings international business to the UK and has launched careers in costumes and is committed to training young people in our industry”.

He paid tribute to his father before thanking Bafta for the “wonderful 175th birthday present”.

Bafta chairwoman Dame Pippa Harris said it was “extraordinary to think that the company has been in existence longer than Bafta, or indeed cinema itself”.

Previous recipients of the Outstanding Contribution award include Mike Leigh, Kenneth Branagh, and the Harry Potter series.