British Fashion Council announces new partnership with Bicester Village

The British Fashion Council has confirmed a new two-year partnership with BFC patron and supporter, the Bicester Village Shopping Collection, which will see them supporting British fashion talent with a tailored programme of expert guidance in business development.

In a short statement, the British Fashion Council said the partnership is the latest development of the Bicester Village Shopping Collection’s mentorship programme, ‘The Business of Retail’ and will give a handpicked group of BFC Fashion Trust, BFC Vogue Designer Fashion Fund alumni and established British brands tailored business development, mentoring and support.

In addition, the initiative will bring together the collective of designer businesses to be part of what it is calling an “exclusive and unique annual sample sale,” which will feature curated British designers at Bicester Village in the autumn to showcase the brands in a “direct to consumer experience”.

The press release adds that this is a first for both organisations and will put into practice ‘The Business of Retail’ development, which the designers will receive as part of the partnership’s mentorship programme.

The partnership was announced at the Fashion Forum, which the British Fashion Council hosted in collaboration with innovation consultancy TheCurrent, bringing together a curated group of 140 business leaders and industry activists including representation from global brands, international retailers and designer businesses, who collectively debated and shared knowledge on the topic ‘Breaking Through Barriers’.