BFC launches its latest initiative

The British Council and the British Fashion Council today announced the inaugural International Fashion Showcase to take place during London Fashion Week in February. The initiative will showcase over 80 international emerging designers

and will bring together 19 embassies and cultural institutes across London who will open their doors to host the project.

This is the first project that the British Council and the BFC have collaborated on, and is part of the Fashion 2012 Cultural Programme, which has been developed to celebrate the year of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Countries participating in the showcase include Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Caribbean, China, Croatia, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, United States and Uzbekistan.

Each country have selected the emerging designers whom they feel most represents the future of fashion in their region, and BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent, Sarah Mower will chair an advisory panel that will judge each piece of work, with an award given to the country that presents the best emerging fashion talent showcase. These awards will be announced during London Fashion Week.

As well as the project being open to press and buyers of London Fashion Week, a map, guide and passport is being produced to encourage the public to follow the trail of the International Fashion Showcase around the various venues in central London.

Highlights of the showcase will include: American design school Parsons presenting 10 of its first US graduate students in fashion design at Benjamin Franklin House; Three young designers from Estonia will present an exhibition of work including Kaspar Paas, winner of the Estonian Young Designer Award, who currently designs for John Lobb and who will be launching his own brand of footwear during this event; and the Korean Cultural Centre will explore the new generation designers from South Korea, showcasing eight British educated designers who have developed high profile collaborations with artists such as Lady Gaga.

Image: Korea - Minky Jeamin Ha