The Costume Designers Guild said today that it will present its 2018 Spotlight Award to Kerry Washington. The Scandal star will be honored during the 20th annual CDG Awards on February 20 at the Beverly Hilton.

The guild said the award is presented to an actor whose talent and career personify an enduring commitment to excellence, including a special awareness of the role and importance of costume design.

"In my seven seasons of playing Olivia Pope on Scandal, I have had the blessing of working with the remarkable Lyn Paolo to create a character whose internal strength and strong sense of conviction are so effortlessly reflected in the clothing that she wears," Washington told CDGA sponsor Harper's Bazaar. "Being honored by the CDGA this year with the Spotlight Award is a fitting culmination for our time together, and I look forward to celebrating our collaboration on this special night."

Said Paolo: "Kerry embodies style and elegance, and is a true fashionista. Her appreciation for design, as well as her creative spirit, have made working with her over these seven seasons an absolute joy. She has been an integral partner in evolving her character through the art of costume, and her love of costume as a storytelling device is more than evident in her body of work."

Gina Rodriguez will host next month's CDGAs, which also will fete Joanna Johnston, (Career Achievement Award),  Guillermo del Toro (Distinguished Collaborator Award) and Maggie Schpak (Distinguished Service Award). The Costume Designer Guild nominees were announced two weeks ago.