Liam Hodges to receive NewGen Men support

Emerging menswear designer Liam Hodges is joining the roster of designers who receive the British Fashion Council’s NewGen Men sponsorship, supported by Topshop, to showcase his autumn/winter 2016 collection during London Collections: Men in January.

Hodges, a Royal College of Arts graduate, will showcase his AW16 collection on the catwalk, alongside existing NewGen Men designers Agi & Sam, Astrid Andersen, Bobby Abley, Craig Green, and Nasir Mazhar.

They are joined by a roster of designers holding presentations including Alex Mullins, Cottweiler, designed by Ben Cottrell and Matthew Dainty, and Pieter, designed by Sebastiaan Pieter, as well as an installation by designer Diego Vanassibara.

Each designer receives showcasing opportunities at London Collections: Men, as well as financial support and business mentoring. The scheme, which launched in 2009, aims to support emerging designers build their businesses commercially and help them develop relationships with key press and buyers.

This season the BFC is also working with DLA Piper, RSM and Shaw Walker Lees to provide legal, commercial and accounting advice for the designers.

Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the BFC, said: “NewGen Men is widely recognised as a key incubator for talented young menswear designers. Each of the recipients uniquely represents the diverse and robust position of London and the UK within the global menswear market.

“This season’s deserving designers will benefit from the exceptional support and mentorship that the initiative facilitates, and I look forward to seeing how their businesses grow in the future.”

Past NewGen Men recipients includes Christopher Shannon, J.W. Anderson, James Long Lee Roach and Sibling.