The organisation founded in 1983 has been increasing its fundraising efforts to support more emerging designers and fashion businesses through various initiatives, including BFC Education Foundation, NEWGEN, BFC Fashion Trust, BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund supported by JD.com, Inc. and BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund.Last year, it raised £100,000 more than in 2017, and allocated a total of £1.1 million directly to scholars and designer businesses. At £300,000, Swarovski made the largest single donation to the BFC Education Foundation at the Fashion Awards, held in December in partnership with the Austrian jewellery company at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Other highlights included the expansion of the BFC’s scholarships programme from 11 scholarships to 21, the support of 31 designer businesses via several initiatives and the creation of a new Fashion Studio Assistant Apprenticeship.The organisation said it supports 538 students during the year, including 70 event attendees, 181 competition entrants, and 21 scholars. And the BFC Fashion Trust awarded grants totalling £380,000 between eight designers. Finally, a £200,000 cash prize was given to Molly Goddard for winning the 2018 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund.Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, commented: “The UK has a reputation of having some of the best fashion schools in the world as well as the most innovative and creative talent. We are delighted to be able to support many of them from school-level all the way through to established designer businesses through all our initiatives; this further reinforces our reputation as an international hub for creativity, innovation, talent and business.“Congratulations to all the designers and thank you to all the funders, mentors and supporters for making the UK’s talent support the most robust in the global market.”