Caroline Rush to step down as head of BFC

After 15 years at the helm, Caroline Rush has announced her plans to step down as the chief executive officer of the British Fashion Council (BFC), ringing in a search for her successor. The news was confirmed in a press release, in which Rush stated that she was proud of what her and her team had accomplished during her time at the organisation.

“The resilience and creativity of our designers and industry is exceptional as we witness throughout London Fashion Week and I have huge respect for this dynamic community,” Rush said in a statement. “I know first-hand that when the community comes together it can achieve what is sometimes thought to be impossible. The brilliant team at the BFC are a joy to work with, as are the many supporters, advisors and friends.”

Her departure comes right on the back of London Fashion Week’s finale, this year being the event’s 40th anniversary, and an edition under which the BFC has initiated a series of strategic changes. Last year, next to chairman David Pemsel, who joined the council in 2022, Rush laid out plans to usher in a sweeping refresh of the BFC’s approach to supporting British designers. It set the organisation on a path to reposition itself as a “catalyst of change” in a bid to help revive the UK’s fashion industry and bolster the platform for a next generation of talent.

Rush and the BFC embark on a ‘new chapter’

Among these changes were the restructuring of London’s fashion week landscape, which largely involved the removal of its January edition, implemented earlier this year, based on the premise of its “awkward” timing. This brought in the newly rebranded ‘LFW June’, which took place from June 7 to 9 under the concept of “igniting a cultural moment”, driven by a wider approach to diversity and the introduction of the once-excluded Savile Row tailors.

While the future of BFC’s leadership remains uncertain, with Rush set to continue leading the organisation as the search for her successor begins, for herself this marks the beginning of a “new challenge”. “Having built the organisation’s resources back to better than pre-pandemic levels, it is in a great position to continue its essential and incredibly important work with new leadership and a new chapter,” she added. “This isn’t a goodbye as I will continue to lead and push for excellence over the next nine months until my successor is found and a handover is in place and will always be on hand to support an organisation I adore.”

In his own statement, Pemsel underlined Rush’s presence as a “fantastic industry leader” that has “remained dynamic and agile while navigating some of the most challenging times for the industry”. He continued: “On behalf of the industry, I want to thank her for her work, her passionate support and dedication. In support of her decision to step down next year, I will extend my term as chair to the end of 2025 and lead the search for her successor to work with the BFC leadership team to continue to put the fashion industry front and centre, building the respect it deserves.”