Fashion Fund Winner

Fashion Fund Winner

JONATHAN SAUNDERS has won the 2012BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund. The Scottish-born designer will receive a £200,000 cash prize, as well as a bespoke mentoring programme which will help him to achieve his business goals over the next 12 months.

SEE SAUNDERS' CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

"I am delighted that Jonathan has won this year's award," said Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. "His recent collections have shown that he is a designer who can provide beautiful clothes that women enjoy wearing and he is in a great position to build on his current success."

Saunders beat off stiff competition for the award - from Peter Pilotto, Mary Katrantzou, Richard Nicoll, Roksanda llincic,Marios Schwab, Zoe Jordan and Meadham Kirchhoff, as well as footwear label Nicholas Kirkwood. All nine of the shortlisted designers were invited to meet the fund's judging panel, chaired by Alexandra Shulman, and present their latest collections, as well as their business proposals.

"I'm so happy about winning the fund," said Saunders. "The last 12 months have been an exciting time for me and my team and I'm very proud of all their hard work. We have many exciting plans for the near future and this along with the support network provided by the BFC will enable us to achieve our goals."

READ SAUNDERS' BIOGRAPHY HERE

Saunders first began his fashion career at Glasgow College of Art, before continuing his studies at Central Saint Martins - where he graduated in 2002 with a MA distinction in Fashion Textiles. In 2006, he won the BFC's British Enterprise award and since then his clothes can be seen on the front row each season, with shoppers vying to buy his printed, colourful and wearable designs.

The BFC and Vogue would like to thank the fund sponsors: Burberry, Clothing at Tesco, Debenhams, Harrods, HSBC, Jaeger and Aquascutum, LF Europe, Marks & Spencer, Paul Smith, Toni & Guy, Topshop and Westfield Shopping Towns.

SEE SAUNDERS' COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS

YOU SHOULD SEE: Watch the entire series of nominee interviews on VogueTV...

YOU SHOULD SEE: The full 2012 Designer Fashion Fund shortlist...

Source: VOGUE - ELLA ALEXANDER 01 February 2012

The Winners of the British Fashion Council's 2012 Fashion Forward

Step Forward

HENRY HOLLAND, Louise Gray, Mary Katrantzou and James Long have been named the winners of the British Fashion Council's 2012 Fashion Forward initiative, which offers each label a cash prize to help them to show their latest collection, as well as business support from the BFC. Long is the first menswear designer to receive the accolade.

"The recipients for this year's Fashion Forward sponsorship are an exceptionally talented group of designers," said BFC ceo Caroline Rush. "This year is set to be a momentous year not only for fashion industry, but the UK and I am looking forward to seeing Henry, Louise, James and Mary, taking strides forward in their business development. Menswear in London will be put in the spotlight this year making now the perfect time to introduce a menswear prize to Fashion Forward."

Launched six years ago, the initiative is intended for designers who have progressed through the BFC's prestigious NEWGEN or are of a similar stage in their business. The final winners are chosen by a judging panel, which this year included former Harvey Nichols buying directorAveryl Oates, BFC ceo Caroline Rush, Vogue fashion editor Francesca Burns, Matches co-founder Ruth Chapman and BFC Ambassador of Emerging Talent and US Vogue and American VOGUE.COM contributor Sarah Mower.

"I'm delighted to be receiving Fashion Forward sponsorship," said Henry Holland. "It is a huge accolade for the brand and I am excited about what the future holds."

Previous winners of the prize include Jonathan Saunders, Erdem,Giles and Christopher Kane.

YOU SHOULD SEE: Mary Katrantzou on her Fashion Fund nomination...

YOU SHOULD SEE: What happened when Henry Holland went to Downing Street...

Source: VOGUE - ELLA ALEXANDER 18 January 2012

Katrantzou Collaboration with Longchamp

Katrantzou Collaboration

MARY KATRANTZOU has teamed up with Longchamp to create two handbags bearing exclusive new prints. Based on an East-meets-West theme, the capsule collection will land at French store Colette during Couture Fashion Week later this month.

"I met with Sophie Delafontaine, Longchamp's artistic director, about a year ago to discuss the possibility of working together for the label's spring/summer 2012 collection," Katrantzou told us. "She had seen my work and thought it would be a great collaboration for both. It was a really great opportunity for us to work with a brand with great heritage and I loved that it's family run. Their Pliage and tote bags are the perfect canvas to engineer a print and it's also great to offer women who might not be ready to commit to a fully printed look, a bag to accessorise with!"

The larger tote bag is centred upon the sculptural staircase seen in Longchamp's New York store - a design Katrantzou believes to be the true embodiment of modern, Westernised architecture - and decorated with orchids, dragons and corals. For the second, smaller bag, the designer used both an Asian temple and New York Carnergie Hall as her starting points, adorning both with colourful flowers and lanterns.

London-based Katrantzou also created a print to cover the label's Pliage line - a collage of floating orchids and lanterns.

"The prints we designed reference Vietnam temple architecture, Thomas Heatherwick's design for their Soho store, lanterns, orchids, an aquarium and many more surreal juxtapositions," Katrantzou explained. "I wanted to create a Mary Katrantzou world for Longchamp and they were amazing at letting us be so creative with the prints!"

YOU SHOULD SEE: Kate Moss model her Longchamp range...

YOU SHOULD SEE: What Mary Katrantzon won at the BFAs...

Source: VOGUE - ELLA ALEXANDER12 January 2012

The British Fashion Awards Winners

The BFA Winners

SARAH BURTON of Alexander McQueen won the prestigious Designer of the Year accolade at the2011 British Fashion Awards, which took place at London's Savoy Hotel this evening.

SEE ALL THE AWARD PICTURES

Victoria Beckham took home the Best Designer Brand prize, beating off competition from Tom Ford, Stella McCartney and Burberry, but that's not to say McCartney herself was left empty handed - her label received the Red Carpet Award.Stella Tennant was named Britain's Model of the Year.

In terms of new designer names, Mary Katrantzou was given the Emerging Talent Womenswear Ready-To-Wear honour, with Christopher Raeburn winning the category's menswear equivalent. Christopher Kane was announced as the winner of the Awards' debut New Establishment prize.

The full list of winners:

Designer of the Year: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen

Designer Brand: Victoria Beckham

New Establishment Award: Christopher Kane

Menswear Designer: Kim Jones

Accessory Designer: Charlotte Olympia

Red Carpet Award: Stella McCartney

Emerging Talent Award - Ready-To-Wear: Mary Katrantzou

Emerging Talent Award - Menswear: Christopher Raeburn

Emerging Talent Award - Accessories: Tabitha Simmons

Model: Stella Tennant

BFC Outstanding Achievement: Paul Smith

Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Sam Gainsbury

British Style Award: Alexa Chung

YOU SHOULD SEE: All the red carpet pictures...

YOU SHOULD SEE: The full BFA nominee list...

YOU SHOULD SEE: What Paul Smith told us about his award...

Source: VOGUE - ELLA ALEXANDER 28 November 2011