British Fashion Council is delighted to announce the shortlisted designers for the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund 2023 (BFCVDFF).
Established in 2008, the BFC/VDFF celebrates exceptional talent and creativity and empowers business growth through bespoke high-level mentoring and professional services. The Fund receives the generous support of British Vogue, Burberry and Paul Smith.
This year’s judging panel is chaired by Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive, British Fashion Council and Edward Enninful OBE, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and European Editorial Director, Vogue. The panel comprises of experts from across the fashion industry: Alexa Chung, Designer, model, author; Lauren Indvik, Fashion Editor, Financial Times; Munroe Bergdorf, Model, Presenter, Activist; Rod Manley, Chief Marketing Officer, Burberry; Sarah Harris, Deputy Editor and Fashion Features Director, British Vogue; Sarah Mower MBE, vogue.com & BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent.
Caroline Rush CBE, Chief Executive British Fashion Council, commented: “Congratulations to all the shortlisted designers. We were amazed by the incredible breadth of talent each of the designers displayed. Coming out of London Fashion Week, London has reaffirmed itself as the city for creativity and innovation and each of these brands so perfectly exemplifies that talent and fighting spirit that the UK is known for. We are incredibly grateful to our funders for allowing us to continue to secure the pipeline of creative talent here in the UK.”
Narmina Marandi and Tania Fares, Co-Chairs of The BFC Foundation, commented: “The continued growth of the BFC Foundation and the support of initiatives like BFC/VDFF comes at a very critical time for our designers, who face one of their toughest years to date in propelling their businesses forward. With the generosity and constant cheerleading from our Global Patron Programme, we hope to support designers through 2023 with the same courage and momentum that we did through BREXIT and Covid. Seeing such an exciting and vibrant shortlist is proof that our British designers are still at the centre of global creativity, we need to continue to harness and support this talent for years to come.”
Alexa Chung, Designer, model and author commented: “It is an honour to be able to lend my support to this initiative. There are so many important designers in this year’s running and it is clearly more vital than ever to nourish creatives with the financial support and meaningful business mentorship that this fund provides. Witnessing how so many of them are focused on ensuring fashion can enjoy a future in tandem with sustainability is particularly exciting.”