The British Designers Receiving Financial Support This Year
LONDON — The British Fashion Council has raised up to 1.7 million pounds for its charity and various talent support initiatives, and has also named the young talents set to receive part of the funds this year, to help them reset post-pandemic.
A total of 34 designers will be receiving support through the organization’s four key initiatives including Newgen; the BFC/GQ Designer Men’s Wear Fund; the BFC Fashion Trust, and the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. A number of students will also be supported via scholarships.
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The Newgen scheme, which aims to support the best emerging talent across genders and categories, has named 21 recipients including Ahluwalia; Conner Ives, Richard Quinn; Art School; Asai; Bianca Saunders; Eftychia; Matty Bovan; Nensi Dojaka; footwear label Roker; Supriya Lele; Saul Nash; Stefan Cooke; Yuhan Wang; S.S. Daley; Robyn Lynch; Paolo Carzana; Labrum London; Feben, and Helen Kirkum.
The program, one of London’s most established and long-supported by the now-defunct Topshop, has a new partnership with TikTok, which will be helping recipients “create bespoke programs of activity.” Business training sessions and pro-bono legal advice will also be offered.
The BFC/GQ Designer Men’s Wear Fund has also named Ahluwalia, Bianca Saunders, Bethany Williams, Feng Cheng Wang, Nicholas Daley and Stefan Cooke as the finalists of this year’s award. The winner will be revealed during London Fashion Week, taking place digitally between June 12 and 14.
The women’s wear iteration of the initiative, run in partnership with British Vogue, has already named Bethany Williams this year’s winner of the 200,000 pound cash prize.
Another cohort of designers will be receiving support funds through the BFC Fashion Trust, which is focused on supporting strategic brand projects that will enable business growth. Recipients include Halpern; Art School; Wales Bonner; jewelry label Completedworks; Nicholas Daley; E.L.V Denim, which is known for its sustainable denim production, and accessories brand Neous.
“Now, more than ever, it is important to champion talent and to support our emerging and young businesses that lead the way in environmental and community impact. Through the BFC Foundation, our aim is to improve equality, equity, and opportunity so that the fashion industry remains open to all,” said BFC chief executive officer Caroline Rush.
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