NEWGEN is a BFC initiative that supports the very best emerging talent and aims to build global, high end fashion brands of the future. The scheme offers designers financial support, showcasing opportunities and the time and support to hone in on critical business skills to futureproof their businesses. The BFC, with support from the NEWGEN committee, delivers individual mentoring and business training sessions to assist the designers as they develop their business infrastructure and skills. NEWGEN designers are identified by their creativity, strong design aesthetic and point of difference.

NEWGEN sponsorship is awarded annually to both womenswear and menswear designers who will show at either London Fashion Week or London Fashion Week Men’s. In 2018, NEWGEN will also encompass Accessories, including all categories such as shoes, bags, hats, jewellery and fine jewellery, absorbing the BFC Rock Vault and Headonism initiatives. This move allows the BFC to demonstrate the incredible pool of emerging talent in the UK across all designer fashion categories.

Alighieri, Isosceles, Matty Bovan, Per Gotesson, Supriya Lele and The Season Hats will receive NEWGEN support for the first time this year, in addition to existing NEWGEN designers A-COLD-WALL*, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, Halpern, Kiko Kostadinov, Liam Hodges, Nicholas Daley, Paula Knorr, Phoebe English, Richard Malone, Richard Quinn, Wales Bonner who all continue to receive support. ‘One to Watch’ support has been awarded to Bianca Saunders and Pariah Farzaneh, who will be given exhibition space in the LFW Designer Showrooms at The Store Studios this September. Designers COTTWEILER, Marta Jakubowski, Molly Goddard and Sadie Williams have now graduated from the initiative.

Since its inception in 1993, NEWGEN sponsorship has acted as a promotional launch pad for young designers including Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Craig Green, Christopher Raeburn, Erdem, JW Anderson, James Long, Marques’Almeida, Mary Katrantzou, Nicholas Kirkwood, Peter Pilotto, Roksanda Ilincic and Simone Rocha.

The NEWGEN committee comprises of Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent (Chair); Alex Fury, AnOther Magazine; Anders Christian Madsen, British Vogue; Anna Orsini, BFC; Barbara Grispini, D/ARK; Ben Banks, FourMarketing; Ben Cobb, AnOther Man; Carol Woolton, British Vogue; Caroline Rush, BFC; Cassie Smart, Matches Fashion; Catherine Hayward, Esquire; Charlie Porter, Financial Times; Claire Denman Smith, Stephen Webster; Damien Paul, Matches Fashion; Donna Wallace, Elle; Elgar Johnson, GQ Style; Isabella Davey, BFC; Jess Christie, Matches Fashion; Jo Newton, Fortnum & Mason; Katie Hillier, Katie Hillier; Laura Burlington, Consultant; Laura Larbalestier, Boutique1; Liane Wiggins, Matches Fashion; Lulu Kennedy, Fashion East; Maia Adams, Adorn Insight; Melanie Rickey, Consultant; Mia Fenwick, Fenwick; Nicholas Kirkwood, Nicholas Kirkwood; Nick Vinson, Wallpaper*; Olivia Singer, British Vogue; Pollyanna Goncalves, BFC; Rebecca Lowthorpe, Grazia; Simon Longland, Harrods; Stavros Karelis, Machine-A; Stephen Jones, Stephen Jones; Stephen Webster, Stephen Webster; Steve Salter, i-D; Susanne Tide-Frater, Farfetch; Susie Lau; Style Bubble; Virginia Bates, Freelance