The short list for the 2015 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund has just been announced––one of the most coveted awards for British designers working today. The nominees include Emilia Wickstead, Holly Fulton, Mary Katrantzou, Michael van der Ham, Mother of Pearl, Osman, and Sophia Webster. They’re all rising stars chosen for their potential to develop into a global designer brand.
“It was exciting to have such a diverse short list to consider, all of whom have carved out a distinctive niche for themselves. I congratulate all of them for reaching this stage in a highly competitive arena,” said Alexandra Shulman, editor in chief of British Vogue and chair of the fund committee. What makes the prize so desirable? It provides the winner with a yearlong mentoring support program, as well as a 200,000-pound grant to help take the designer’s brand to the next level.
This year, the BFC has created an exclusive online video series called Designer Fashion Fund, where you can watch the application process and interviews with the judging panel; it also features previous winners Erdem, Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Nicholas Kirkwood, and Peter Pilotto. The episodes will be broadcast over the course of 2015 and can be viewed on YouTube and Vogue.co.uk.
Stay tuned––the winner will be announced on Tuesday, March 24.
—Austen Rosenfeld, Style.com
