NEWGEN Announces 2018 Recipients

The British Fashion Council has announced the recipients of its NEWGEN sponsorship for 2018. The initiative, which offers designers financial support, mentoring and showcasing opportunities, will this year extend to accessories designers, as well as womenswear and menswear talent.

Alighieri, Isosceles, Matty Bovan, Per Gotesson, Supriya Lele and The Season Hats will receive NEWGEN support for the first time this year, in addition to existing NEWGEN designers A-COLD-WALL*, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, Halpern, Kiko Kostadinov, Liam Hodges, Nicholas Daley, Paula Knorr, Phoebe English, Richard Malone, Richard Quinn and Wales Bonner, who will continue to receive funding. Bianca Saunders and Pariah Farzaneh have been declared “ones to watch” and will be allocated an exhibition space in the LFW Designer Showrooms at The Store Studios, like the rest of the NEWGEN family.

Designers Cottweiler, Marta Jakubowski, Molly Goddard and Sadie Williams have graduated from the initiative, and join NEWGEN alumni Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Erdem, JW Anderson, Mary Katrantzou, Roksanda Ilincic and Simone Rocha, who have all used NEWGEN as a launch pad since its inception in 1993.

“Across women’s, menswear and now, accessories, NEWGEN is a snapshot of the best and most innovative young fashion talent this country has to offer,” Sarah Mower MBE, BFC ambassador for emerging talent and chair of the NEWGEN committee, said of this year’s recipients. “Amongst this cohort, there are designers speaking up about things that matter - their identities, sustainability and ethical behaviour. They’re a super-inspiring generation; and we are incredibly grateful to all the experts who devote their time and advice to helping them achieve in business.” The committee also comprises Vogue team members Anders Christian Madsen, Carol Woolton and Olivia Singer.

The announcement follows the news that Molly Goddard has won the 2018 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. The 29-year-old designer impressed judges with her sharp focus and strong work ethic, and saw off competition from Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida of Marques Almeida, Huishan Zhang, Rejina Pyo, Samantha McCoach of Le Kilt, and David Koma.

The Fashion Fund prize of £200,000 is a prime example of the BFC’s commitment to fundraising for its business support initiatives - in 2017, it raised over £2.2million. Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, commented: “I would like to thank all our supporters without whom this would have not been possible, from our patrons to all the funders, sponsors and mentors who give their time pro bono to help us develop and grow the exciting designer businesses we have in the UK. Huge congratulations to the 2018 NEWGEN recipients and to Molly Goddard, winner of the 2018 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. All these designers represent the most creative and innovative talent our country has to offer and we look forward to working with them to raise their profile even more on the international fashion stage.”