BFC Foundation announces MA Scholarship recipients

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has named the recipients of its 2020 BFC Foundation MA Scholarship schemes, which provide funding to those who have an offer from, or are currently studying for an MA at a BFC Colleges Council member college.

The BFC have been awarding students MA scholarships since 1998 as part of its strategy to support upcoming talent through education.

This year there are four scholarships supporting students on MA Fashion Design courses, including a specific one for hose interested in menswear design and those in their final year.

The MA Scholarship, funded by Chanel, has been awarded to Brandon Choi from Central Saint Martins. The scholarship is available to students accepted on an MA Fashion Design course in the UK and covers the course tuition fees with a contribution to course costs or living expenses.

The MA Scholarship, funded by Dior Men, open to students interested in menswear design accepted on an MA Fashion Design course in the UK, has been awarded to Joe Pearson and Adam Alaoui Elyassé who is in his final year, both from Central Saint Martins. The scholarship covers the course tuition fees with a contribution to course costs or living expenses.

While the BFC MA Full Scholarship, which helps towards course tuition fees with a contribution to course costs or living expenses, has been awarded to Dominic Huckbody from Central Saint Martins, Shanti Bell from Royal College of Art, Jessan Macatangay from Central Saint Martins, Pearl Quist from University of Salford and Edward Mendoza from Central Saint Martins.

The final award is the BFC MA Final Year Scholarship, offered to students in their final year of an MA Fashion Design course in the UK to cover production costs for their final collections. This year the recipient is Natasha Sweeney from Central Saint Martins.

These recipients will be joining the 2019 cohort. Last year, BFC MA Full Scholarships were awarded to Connor Baxter, Fraser Miller, Jimmy Howe, all students at Central Saint Martins and Aurelie Fontan, a student at Royal College of Art. 

Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said in a statement: “We have been faced with truly the most impactful crisis of a generation and at this time, supporting and empowering upcoming talent is more important than ever.

“The BFC offers support to help young people at every level to realise their ability, ensuring the future growth and success of the British fashion industry. Academic scholarships provide young designers from all backgrounds with the opportunity to eventually work in the creative industries, paving the way for the future generations of talent.”

Applications were open from August 17 to 23 and were assessed on the basis of talent and financial need, using information given in the application, the portfolio, the applicant’s financial circumstances and references received, explains the British Fashion Council.

All applications were short listed by panels of academics, the British Fashion Council and industry representatives: Alexander Fury, Amanda Harlech, Chioma Nnadi, Karen Binns, Libby Page, Orsola de Castro and Pierre A. M’Pelé. The panel was chaired by Sarah Mower, British Fashion Council ambassador for emerging talent.