NewGen Men recipients for autumn 14 announced

The British Fashion Council has announced the recipients of NewGen Men support, sponsored by Topman, to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2014 collections at London Collections: Men. This season ten designers have been awarded sponsorship,

the highest number of designers to receive support in one season since the initiative launched in 2009.

Three new designers join NewGen Men, menswear brand Common and Fashion East and print-focused designer Kit Neale who will host presentations on the LC:M schedule, while footwear designer Diego Vanassibara will exhibit his collection in the Designer Showrooms.

Returning names include Agi & Sam, who just recently launched a capsule line with Topman, Astrid Andersen, Lee Roach, Martine Rose, Matthew Miller, Nasir Mazhar and Shaun Samson.

All of the recipients will receive sponsorship to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2014 collections at London Collections: Men, as well as tailored business and mentoring support with a view to increasing the success of their business commercially and building relationships with key press and buyers. Additionally, this season the BFC is working with DLA Piper to provide legal and commercial advice to the designers.

BFC announced NewGen Men designers for AW14

Commenting on the selection, Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council said: “Menswear is an unstoppable force in British fashion. Welcoming three new designers to the scheme this season, each of whom bring a very different aesthetic to the NewGen Men line-up, is testament to the strength and diversity of the emerging menswear talent in the industry.

“With the support from NewGen Men and Topman, these designers have the opportunity and potential to grow their label into incredible British businesses.”

Topman marketing director Jason Griffiths, who also sits on the selection panel, added: “The NewGen Men initiative goes from strength to strength and it is truly exciting to welcome for the first time a footwear recipient this season into the mix.

“At Topman we are completely dedicated in our support of the initiative above and beyond our investment to include mentoring at various levels and wherever possible the opportunity to collaborate further on selection of projects as in past with likes of Sibling, Agi & Sam, James Long, Lou Dalton and Christopher Shannon. We also look forward to revealing details of the next exciting designer project in the New Year.”

Other members of this year’s committee included Catherine Hayward from Esquire; Damian Paul from matchesfashion.com; Darren Skey of Harvey Nichols; the BFC’s David Watts and Laura Hinson; Topman’s Gordon Richardson, Robert Johnston from GQ; Sam Lobban of Mr Porter and Tim Blanks from Style.com.

All designers will showcase during London Collections: Men, which takes place from January 6 to 8, 2014.

Image: Agi & Sam SS14