eBay and British Fashion Council launch scheme for up-and-coming fashion designers
The British Fashion Council has partnered with eBay to launch BFC Contemporary, a scheme that supports up-and-coming British fashion designers.
The initiative aims to strengthen the UK’s contemporary ready-to-wear and accessory offering by providing selected fashion designers with a mentorship programme and a range of strategic commercial opportunities.
The inaugural designers were invited to apply by the BFC and eBay. However in 2015 official applications will be open to all designers looking for BFC Contemporary support.
The scheme involves the BFC and eBay working closely with the designers to offer them help and advice on brand concepts, production, budgets, scalability, online and offline growth and consumer experience. The mentoring sessions will be tailored to the needs of each designer including access to pro-bono expertise from industry specialists.
Never Miss a Retail Update!During the launch season, the designers will create limited edition items that will be sold on a special BFC Contemporary shop on eBay as part of the London Fashion Week celebrations this September.
Caroline Rush, BFC chief executive, said: “We are delighted to support and help accelerate the growth of these very viable fashion businesses. Each of the inaugural BFC Contemporary designers possess incredible creativity and strong brand concepts. With invaluable support from eBay, these designers mark a new wave in British contemporary design, the rise of which we aim to fuel with this new initiative.”
Melanie Smallwood, head of curation and merchandising at eBay, added: “The first ever BFC Contemporary Shop on eBay.co.uk will provide a fantastic platform to showcase British Contemporary designers to eBay.co.uk’s 18 million shoppers.”
This is the second time the BFC has partnered with eBay. In 2012, eBay sponsored the BFC’s Fashion Forward initiative, which supported designers including Holly Fulton, House of Holland, Louise Gray and Mary Katrantzou.
The 2014 BFC Contemporary recipients include Alexis Barrell, Georgia Hardinge, Paper London, Prism, and Zoë Jordan.
