The BFC Spotlights 50 Emerging Talents For Its Annual New Wave Creatives List

“Spotlighting the next generation of creatives is imperative to fashion – without looking towards the fresh perspectives of the new guard, how could we ever move forward?” says British Vogue’s fashion news director, Olivia Singer. Along with 14 fellow industry leaders – the models and activists Adut Akech and Paloma Elsesser, the designer Charles Jeffrey and the make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench included – she formed the steering committee for this year’s British Fashion Council New Wave: Creatives list. Comprised of 50 innovative trailblazers, those chosen will benefit from continuous support, through mentorship and advocacy.

First established in 2018, to highlight emerging talent in the realms of writing, activism, modelling, image making, styling, creative direction and set design (to name a few) the New Wave: Creatives honour is part of the BFC’s annual Fashion Awards. This year, the ceremony is set to take place virtually on 3 December and winners of various categories will be announced in a fashion film, made exclusively for the phygital event, and debuting at 7pm GMT on Fashionawards.com. 

Those commended last year were asked to nominate industry peers for the 2020 instalment. Then, the newly created steering panel curated the final list. The writer and spoken word poet Kai-Isaiah Jamal, the director Fenn O’Meally, the visual artist Marlou Fernanda, the producer Yasser Abubeker, and the photographers Trinity Ellis and Stephen Tayo were among the 50 creatives named on the list. 

This has been a turbulent year for numerous reasons, so there is no better time than now for rising stars to be recognised. “This year has raised so many vital questions about fashion’s barriers to entry, from how expensive it can be to get started, particularly during a time of financial instability, to its systemic racism – and so right now, it feels particularly important to actively make space for and emphatically support new voices,” Singer outlines. 

See below for the complete list of incredible talent that comprise the BFC New Wave Creatives 2020.

Activists, commentators and writers

Fenn O’Meally @Fenn_Omeally

Kai-Isaiah Jamal @Kai_Isaiah_Jamal

Artists

Agusta Yr Gudmundsdottir @IceIceBaySpice

(Chiang) John Yuyi @JohnYuyi

Marlou Fernanda @MarlouFernanda

PZ Opassuksatit @PzToday

Sakeema Crook @SakeemaTheCrook

Sgàire Wood @SgaireWood

Casting

Arianna Pradarelli @Arianna_Pradarelli

Nicola Kast @Nicola.Kast

Creative directors

Betsy Johnson @BetsyJohnson_

Louis Burguet @Louis.Burguet

Yasser Abubeker @YasserHc

Hair, make-up and nail artists

Cécile Paravina @CecileParavina

Gemma Smith-Edhouse @GemmaSmithEdhouse

Issac Poleon @IssacVPoleon

Isaac Yu @Isaac_Yu

Janina Zais @JaninaZais

Kalle Eklund @Kalle_Eklund

Kiyoko Odo @KiyokoOdo

Latisha Chong @IAm_TheChong

Patrick Glatthaar @PatrickGlatthaar

Valentina Li @Valentina1121Li

Image makers

Alvaro Beamud Cortes @AlvaroBeamud

Amber Pinkerton @AmberCashmere

Brandon Bowen @Brandon.Bowen

Carlijn Jacobs @CarlijnJacobs

Davit Giorgadze @D.Avit

Elizaveta Porodina @ElizavetaPorodina

Esther Theaker @Esther_Theaker

Gabriel Moses @GabrieloMoses

Huang Jiaqi @Huangjiaq7

Labō Young @LaboYoung

Larissa Hofmann @LarissaHofmann

Luis Alberto Rodriguez @LuisAlbertoRodriguezStudio

Marili Andre @MariliAndre

Megan Winstone @MeganWinstonePhoto

Moyosore Briggs @MoyosoreBriggs

Quil Lemons @QuilLemons

Rafael Pavarotti @RafaelPavarotti_

Scandebergs @Scandebergs

Stephen Tayo @Stephen.Tayo

Trinity Ellis @TrinityEllis

Vasily Agrenenko @Some.Lovely.Filth

Podcasters

Trey Gaskin @HeyHeyTreyTrey

Set designers

Furmaan Ahmed @Furmaan.Ahmed

Jabez Bartlett @JabezBartlett

Stylists

Flora Huddart @FloraHuddart

Marie Higuchi @MarieHiguchi

Ola Ebiti @OlaOluEbiti