The BFC Unveils £1 Million Lifeline For Young Designers

The British Fashion Council has unveiled the recipients of its inaugural BFC Foundation Fashion Fund, established to support fashion businesses and independent designers affected by the coronavirus crisis. Bianca Saunders, Ahluwalia and the 2020 Woolmark Prize winner Richard Malone are among 37 British labels set to receive financial and mentoring support from the BFC’s new program, along with Bethany Williams, Phoebe English and Richard Quinn, all of whom have been making masks and gowns for the NHS during the pandemic. A portion of the £1million emergency fund will also be allocated to students, to support the next generation of British design talent.

The sum has been pooled together from a selection of BFC talent grants that would ordinarily have been awarded separately to designers in the early stages of their business, or applicants seeking assistance with growth and promotion. Those chosen will be entitled to a cash injection up to a maximum of £50,000, and get access to the BFC’s Fashion Business Network, which includes Eco-Age, Farfetch, Google, Instagram, LVMH and YouTube among many more.

Rosh Mahtani of jewellery brand Alighieri, the winner of the 2020 Queen Elizabeth II Award for Design and one of six designers sharing this year’s Vogue Designer Fashion Fund prize, is also among the beneficiaries, as are her fellow Vogue Designer Fashion Fund winners, Charles Jeffrey, David Koma, Halpern, Metier and Rejina Pyo. 16Arlington, Aries, Art School, Chalayan, Chopova Lowena, Craig Green, E. Tautz, E.L.V. Denim, Edeline Lee, Eftychia, King & Tuckfield, Kwaidan Editions, Liam Hodges, Matty Bovan, Nabil Nayal, Neous, Nicholas Daley, Palmer Harding, Paper London, Paria Farzaneh, Per Götesson, Raeburn, Roksanda, Stefan Cooke and Toogood are the other businesses being supported using the first wave of the fund.

While the £1million initial fund is a promising start, the BFC estimates that a further £100million will be needed to support future talent in the coming years. Applications will reopen each time the fund is topped up to £500,000, to ensure support can be wide-reaching. Donations from Alexander McQueen, Browns, Clearpay and Coach Foundation will be put towards the next instalment of funding.