British Fashion Council and GQ Designer Menswear Fund announced
Emerging London menswear talents Christopher Raeburn, Christopher Shannon, E. Tautz, Lou Dalton and Richard Nicoll have been shortlisted for the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund shortlist 2014. Something of a boost for the London menswear scene, it’s the first time that the city’s menswear designers will benefit from their own dedicated prize fund.
« The shortlisted designers are testament to the extraordinary array of talent in the menswear industry in Britain right now, » said Dylan Jones, Editor of British GQ and Chair of London Collections: Men. « The current generation of British menswear designers might be the best ever, as they not only have creativity in abundance, but also a keen business sense. »
The five finalists will participate in a special mentoring program over the next month featuring expert industry advice on branding, leadership, commercial retail, e-tail and wholesale and digital innovation. They will then go on to present their business plans to the judging panel in June this year, with the winner receiving a £150,000 (US$252,000) grant, along with £50,000 (US$82,000) value in kind services and another 12 months of mentoring.
Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of Vertu was also excited by the link-up between the fashion world and the British luxury technology company: « I was incredibly impressed with the passion, creativity and business acumen that each designer showcased in the application stage and my team and I look forward to the opportunity to work with the designers to help them further develop their businesses. »
The debut edition of the Designer Menswear Fund is the latest development in a concerted effort by the British Fashion Council to kickstart London as the global center of menswear, including the successful biannual London Collections: Men event.
