BFC launches menswear fund

The British Fashion Council and men’s fashion magazine GQ has announced the launch

of a new fund worth 200,000 pounds to be awarded to a menswear designer.

Launched to extend its support for British menswear businesses, the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund, supported by Vertu, will provide a similar to the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund that was launched in September 2009 and to date has supported Erdem, Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders and this year, Nicholas Kirkwood.

The menswear fund is aimed at businesses that have been trading for a minimum of three years, with UK and international stockists and who have graduated through the existing BFC talent support schemes or are at a similar stage in their business, and will offer them cash, high level business mentoring and professional business services.

"There could not be a better time to celebrate and support the flourishing British menswear industry," Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC, said. "The Fund highlights the progress the menswear industry has made in the last couple of years and is a monumental development for young designers - it absolutely shows that creativity and business in the UK are not mutually exclusive."

Dylan Jones, editor-in-chief of GQ Magazine and chair of London Collections: Men, added: "We thought it was about time that the menswear industry had its own fund, in order to try and help some of our emerging brands grow and move forward financially.

“London is not only the home of menswear, but there are now more exciting menswear designers in Britain than ever before."