Fashion Forward winners announced

The British Fashion Council has announced that womenswear designers Henry Holland, Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou are among the recipients who will receive Fashion Forward sponsorship for two consecutive seasons to show at London

Fashion Week.

The initiative established six-years ago to provide funding to talented emerging British designers has also included James Long, marking the first menswear designer to receive support through this scheme.

The Fashion Forward applicants are judged by a panel of key industry representatives including Averyl Oates, Retail Expert; Caroline Rush, CEO, BFC; David Watts, Business Support Manager, BFC; Francesca Burns, Fashion Editor, Vogue; Ruth Chapman, Co-Founder, Matches and Sarah Mower, BFC Ambassador of Emerging Talent, Contributing Editor to US Vogue and American Vogue.com.

The award provides the winner with a cash prize to assist in showing their collection as well as access to business support provided by the BFC. Previous winners include Christopher Kane, Erdem, Giles Deacon, Jonathan Saunders, Louise Goldin, Marios Schwab, Meadham Kirchhoff, Peter Pilotto, Richard Nicoll, Roksanda Illincic, Sinha-Stanic and Todd Lynn.

Caroline Rush, CEO, British Fashion Council, commented “The recipients for this year’s Fashion Forward sponsorship are an exceptionally talented group of designers. 2012 is set to be a momentous year not only for fashion industry but the UK and I am looking forward to seeing Henry, Louise, James and Mary, taking strides forward in their business development. Menswear in London will be put in the spotlight this year making now the perfect time to introduce a menswear prize to Fashion Forward.”

Image: Henry Holland SS12