British Fashion Council names 18 rising London designers

The British Fashion Council announced on December 14 the names of 18 of London's most promising fashion designers, who will receive the prestigious BFC NEWGEN sponsorship - supported by Topshop - to show at London Fashion Week in February 2011.

Established in 1993, NEWGEN is one of the world's most internationally recognized talent identification schemes and a major launchpad for young UK-based designers. Like New York's CFDA Fashion Awards, NEWGEN is regarded as a leading indicator of the next big "It" designer. Its notable alumni include Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson, Giles Deacon, Jonathan Saunders, Christopher Kane, and Richard Nicoll.

Sponsored catwalk designers receive financial support (about £5,000-10,000, or about 6,000-12,000 euros) towards show costs, exhibition space, usage of the BFC runway space and mentoring, as well as access to sales, marketing and business advice in partnership with Shoosmiths, Baker Tilley and Lloyds TSB.

The NEWGEN recipients for Autumn/Winter 2011 sponsored by Topshop are as follows:

Catwalk sponsorship:
David Koma, Holly Fulton, Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou and Michael van der Ham.

Presentation sponsorship:
Christopher Raeburn, Craig Lawrence, JS Lee, JW Anderson (film presentation) and Nasir Mazhar.

Installation sponsorship:
Dominic Jones and Jordan Askill.

Exhibition sponsorship:
Chau Har Lee, Christopher Raeburn, Craig Lawrence, David Koma, Dominic Jones, Fannie Schiavoni, Felicity Brown, Heikki Salonen, Holly Fulton, Jordan Askill, JS Lee, JW Anderson, Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou, Michael van der Ham, Nasir Mazhar, Thomas Tait and Yang Du.

For more information on the designers visit: http://www.britishfashioncouncil.com/news_detail.aspx?ID=263