Funding boost for next generation of British fashion talent
£1 million of Government funding to be awarded to emerging talent in fashion design per year for the next 3 years
- £1 million of Government funding to be awarded to emerging talent in fashion design per year for the next 3 years
- The BFC NEWGEN funding scheme has been run by the British Fashion Council since 1993, with support from Government since 2023, now extended until 2029
- Creative Industries Minister attended 26/27 funding recipient Francesca Lake’s showcase to mark the funding announcement
Rising stars in British fashion are set to benefit from £3 million of new funding which aims to launch the career of the next Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood.
The Government has today announced it will continue to fund BFC NEWGEN, the British Fashion Council’s flagship talent support scheme, with £1 million pledged to the next three rounds of the initiative (2026/27, 2027/28, 2028/29).
BFC NEWGEN identifies and nurtures the UK’s most promising fashion designers, providing financial support, mentoring and the chance to showcase collections at London Fashion Week - the biggest event in the UK’s fashion calendar. The event is held every September and February, and is widely considered one of the ‘big four’ global fashion weeks alongside New York, Milan and Paris.
Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, said:
Fashion is central to the soul of our country, not just in our economy where it is at the heart of our industrial strategy, but to our cultural identity as a nation.
We have a proud legacy of iconic fashion houses that have stood the test of time, Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood. I want us to cultivate the next generation of home-grown talent, and schemes like this will help us to nurture the next British fashion powerhouse.
Since its creation in 1993, BFC NEWGEN has supported more than 400 designers and helped launch the careers of some of the world’s most celebrated names, including Alexander McQueen, Jonathan Anderson and Simone Rocha.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has funded the scheme in partnership with the British Fashion Council since 2023, recognising fashion’s importance both as a creative powerhouse and as a major contributor to the UK economy.
To commemorate the funding announcement, Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray joined British Fashion Council CEO Laura Weir at the Francesca Lake showcase, BFC NEWGEN-funded designer who hails from Kingston, Jamaica. Lake’s designs focus on celebrating the untapped stories of her culture and amplifying them on a global scale.
Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council, said:
We are grateful to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for committing to multi-year investment in the BFC NEWGEN programme, recognising the vital role of sustained investment in nurturing the next generation of British fashion talent. The programme has a proven impact on commercial growth, international visibility and the long-term sustainability of designer businesses. This investment will demonstrate what strong, strategic partnerships between Government and the creative industry can achieve, enabling emerging designer businesses to thrive and encouraging good growth in every postcode.
ENDS
Notes to editors
BFC NEWGEN is run by the British Fashion Council with support from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The funding recipients for 2026/27 are A Letter, Charlie Constantinou, E.W.Usie, Francesca Lake, Gui Rosa, Johanna Parv, Karoline Vitto, Liza Keane, Lueder, Octi, Oscar Ouyang, Pauline Dujancourt, Petra Fagerström, Steve O Smith, The Ouze and Yaku.
ABOUT BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL
The British Fashion Council (BFC), founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit trade association that exists to support, defend and promote British fashion globally, supporting designers and businesses to build creative and commercial resilience.
Through its core platforms, including London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards, the BFC strengthens the global impact of British fashion, drives cultural relevance, international visibility and industry investment. The Fashion Awards is the world’s biggest fashion fundraiser, raising funds for the BFC Foundation.
Established in 2019, the BFC Foundation (Registered Charity Number: 11852152) underpins the UK’s creative pipeline, supporting creatives from education through to global business growth via its Prizes and Programmes.
Collectively, this work positions British fashion as a driver of the UK’s creative economy and a force in global cultural influence.