BFC Fashion Trust names three new recipients

The British Fashion Council’s charitable initiative BFC Fashion Trust has named designers Aries, Nabil Nayal and Teija as the new recipients of the 2018 grant, which will see them joining five previous recipients sharing grants totalling 380,000 pounds (500,000 USD).

This year’s grant recipients have been chosen for their “exceptional effort and development” in e-commerce, sustainability, production and wholesale expansion, said the British Fashion Council in a press release.

The 2018 grant will see streetwear label Aries, LVMH Prize 2017 finalist Nabil Nayal and womenswear label Teija, joining previous recipients Marques' Almeida, Mother of Pearl, Palmer//Harding, Rejina Pyo and Sharon Wauchob, who will continue to receive mentoring and funding this year.

The Fashion Trust was founded in February 2011, with the aim of offering selected British-based designers mentoring and financial support to promote the art and business of fashion. It has awarded over 2 million pounds to 42 designer businesses to help with critical business support such as developing websites, e-commerce platforms and bricks and mortar stores.

BFC Fashion Trust co-chairs Tania Fares and Sian Westerman said in a statement: “Thanks to the generosity and commitment from the Fashion Trust’s patrons and partners, we can continue our support to UK’s rising design talent and help them develop their creative identity while turning their brands into global businesses.

“We believe it’s important that London stays the most creative place for fashion and the support we are able to offer from the Fashion Trust is a truly unique opportunity.”

Aries, Nabil Nayal and Teija named BFC Fashion Trust 2018 grant recipients

Each of the eight awarded designers will take part in a structured mentoring programme delivered by the BFC, which will see them benefiting from “international expertise and mentoring” from BFC Fashion Trust’s official partner HSBC, as well as legal advice from Taylor Wessing, digital training from Google, and mentoring on sustainability and industry best practice from Livia Firth and her team at Eco-Age. The BFC Fashion Trust has also added Revlon as the official 2018 campaign partner.

Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, added: “London is a city that has a special reputation for producing some of the fashion industry’s brightest new talents. Thanks to the Fashion Trust and their partners’ generous support and mentoring, the 2018 grant recipients are given the opportunity to become the creative leaders of tomorrow while reinforcing he UK’s reputation for fashion businesses.”

As well as the grant awards, the BFC Fashion Trust founder patrons also support a Graduate Traineeship Programme which offers graduates 12-month paid placements with a British-based designer. The programme has the dual benefit of allowing graduates to gain insight and experience and for the designer’s business, while benefiting from additional support. Previously partnered brands have included E.Tautz, Erdem, House of Holland, JW Anderson, Mary Katrantzou and Roksanda.

The philanthropic BFC Fashion Trust programme is developed in partnership with co-chairs Tania Fares and Sian Westerman, along with the BFC, and the Fashion Trust Advisory Committee, and is part of a group of BFC business support initiatives and charities aimed at supporting British talent from college to fashion start-ups through to future global fashion houses.

Image: courtesy of the British Fashion Council by Darren Gerrish; Megha Mittal, Teija Eilola, Marta Marques, Lisa Jackson, Tania Fares, Sian Westerman, Matthew Harding, Paulo Almeida, Sofia Prantera, and Nabil Nayal