BFC NEWGEN to receive £2m government funding to support emerging designers

Ahead of London Fashion Week, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has confirmed the British Fashion Council (BFC) will receive £2m in government funding, which will go towards the BFC NEWGEN programme to support and mentor emerging designers.

This year, the BFC is celebrating 30 years of NEWGEN, which has given some of fashion’s biggest names their big breaks, including Ahluwalia, Alexander McQueen, Erdem, Grace Wales Bonner, JW Anderson, Martine Rose, Roksanda, Saul Nash and Simone Rocha.

Frazer confirmed the funding during the ‘REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion’ event, sponsored by Alexander McQueen, at the Design Museum yesterday, 12 September.

Frazer said: “Our fashion industry is world famous for its unrivalled creativity, innovation and producing some of the world’s most influential designers - that’s why it’s a priority sector for economic growth.

“The NEWGEN scheme has kickstarted the careers of some of our best UK-based designers who are making waves in the fashion world, and I’m delighted this funding will help the next crop of British fashion talent build businesses that can thrive for years to come.”

BFC Chief Executive Caroline Rush commented: “It is fantastic that for the first time the British Fashion Council will receive a direct grant from DCMS similar to Film and Music to support the next generation of designer talent. NEWGEN is an essential R&D (research and development) programme for the global industry and central to the BFC strategy to celebrate British fashion on the world stage.”

The funding, earmarked earlier this year in the Creative Industries Sector Vision, will be spread across five fashion weeks over two years.

London Fashion Week is taking place from 15 – 19 September 2023.