WALES BONNER wins BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund prize

WALES BONNER was today named the winner of the prestigious BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund landing a £200,000 prize and a high-level mentoring programme to help propel the brand to the next level.

Created by designer Grace Wales Bonner, WALES BONNER fought off stiff competition to land the annual award from names including A.W.A.K.E MODE, Alighieri, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, David Koma, Neous and Rejina Pyo. All of the shortlist will receive a year-long mentoring programme.

Edward Enninful OBE, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue and Chair of the Fund Committee said of the winner: “Grace is a huge creative talent and her label WALES BONNER has a unique vision, which really relates to the now. Her diverse perspective and boundary breaking design is what we need more of within the industry. I look forward to seeing how this support propels her further.”

Grace Wales Bonner

As well as Enninful the judging committee was made up of representatives from businesses who support the Fund and industry experts: Caroline Rush CBE, British Fashion Council; Erdem Moralioglu, ERDEM; Gemma Metheringham, LABEL/MIX; Harlan Bratcher, JD.com, Inc.; Jo Ellison, Financial Times; Maria Hatzistefanis, Rodial; Rod Manley, Burberry; Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent & Vogue Runway; Paul Price, Topshop and Xia Ding, JD.com, Inc.

Caroline Rush CBE, British Fashion Council CEO, added: “Congratulations to all the shortlisted designers and particularly Grace Wales Bonner on receiving this year’s BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. Wales Bonner is one of the most promising creatives in the world of fashion right now.

"Her hard work and uncompromising vision have turned her label into an internationally acclaimed British brand and encouraged the rise of a new wave of young British creatives behind her. The judging panel was impressed by her exceptional talent for storytelling and craftmanship and we look forward to seeing her grow."

The BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund was launched in 2008 and is supported by British Vogue, Burberry, JD.com, Inc., Label/Mix, Paul Smith, Rodial and Topshop. Past winners of the prize include: Christopher Kane, Erdem, Mary Katrantzou, Molly Goddard, Mother of Pearl, Nicholas Kirkwood, palmer//harding, Peter Pilotto and Sophia Webster.