NEWGEN Project Overview: A BFC Initiative To Support The Fashion Talent Of The Future
NEWGEN Project is a BFC initiative that supports the very best emerging talent and aims to build global, high end fashion brands of the future. It is the most established designer development scheme globally and designers are identified by their creativity, strong design aesthetic and point of difference.
NEWGEN Project Overview: A BFC Initiative To Support The Fashion Talent Of The Future
NEWGEN offers designers financial support, showcasing opportunities and mentoring to develop critical business skills to future proof their businesses. The BFC, with support from the NEWGEN committee led by Sarah Mower MBE, delivers individual mentoring and business training sessions to assist the designers as they develop their business infrastructure and skills.
NEWGEN now encompasses accessories (including all categories such as shoes, bags, hats, jewellery & fine jewellery). We will have specific panels – one focused on Ready to Wear (RTW) and the other on Accessories. Sarah Mower MBE will lead the RTW panel and Stephen Jones OBE and Stephen Webster MBE will lead the Accessories panel alongside other accessories experts.
Last year’s NEWGEN recipients were; ASAI, A-COLD-WALL, Ahluwalia, Alighieri, ART SCHOOL, Bethany Williams, Bianca Saunders, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, Halpern, ISOSCELES Lingerie, Matty Bovan, Nicholas Daley, paria /FARZANEH, Per Götesson, Richard Malone, Richard Quinn, Roker, Stefan Cooke, Supriya Lele & NEWGEN ONE TO WATCH; Eftychia.
New Partnerships: TikTok and Clearpay
The most notable development compared to last year is the partnership with social media TikTok and Clearpay. “BFC is delighted to welcome TiKTok as Principal Partner of BFC NEWGEN. As well as mentoring and financial support, TikTok will create a bespoke programme of activity for all NEWGEN recipients. Clearpay will also support NEWGEN as Official Partner. With payment processes integral to supporting growth for designer businesses, BFC and Clearpay will align to drive the fashion and retail industry forwards in 2021.” said BFC.
As Principal Partner, TikTok will work with BFC and Henry Holland to develop a bespoke and curated programme of activity for NEWGEN designers. TikTok will own an Official NEWGEN venue at London Fashion Week September 2021, which will be home to NEWGEN designer shows. TikTok will also work closely with designers on content creation opportunities and support the livestream of NEWGEN designer shows and amplify designers to TikTok’s unparalleled audience.
As Official Partner, Clearpay will work with BFC to develop a programme of designer support for NEWGEN designers, focused on the Clearpay product offering.
NEWGEN Designers Benefits
This year’s NEWGEN’s designers will be awarded a financial bursary to support the showcasing of their new collections. As a recipient, they will receive a slot on the fashion week schedule (digital or physical) and will be assigned a member of the BFC Designer Relations Team who will be your point of contact for all showcasing related matters. TikTok will host a NEWGEN venue during London Fashion Week in September 2021, which will be home to designer shows and content creation.
As part of the NEWGEN award, designers are assigned a member of the BFC Business Development Team who is their day-to-day contact for BFC Business Development and who will liaise with the designer and facilitate a bespoke program of mentoring. This mentoring is delivered by external industry experts, and includes topics ranging from finance and business structure, to merchandising, ecommerce development, and all other areas of building and running a fashion business. In addition to this mentoring, every NEWGEN designer has access to a designated amount of pro-bono legal counsel, delivered by law firm DLA Piper.
Likewise, NEWGEN designers have free, full access to BFC Membership events; exclusive webinars, seminars and workshops covering areas across the fashion value chain, plus industry current affairs (for example Brexit, Covid, Government policy changes and more). NEWGEN designers are also provided full complimentary access to the BFC Member Portal, containing news, event summaries, supporting resources, relevant partner opportunities and services, and business information via Designer Fact File.
