BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund 2014 recipient announced

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced Christopher Shannon as the winner of the inaugural BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund supported by Vertu. The Fund was established in September 2013 following the success of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and provides one designer with a £150,000 grant to provide necessary infrastructure to take them to the next stage of their business and £50,000 value in kind services, including a bespoke, high level mentoring support programme over a twelve month period. Christopher Raeburn, Christopher Shannon, E. Tautz, Lou Dalton and Richard Nicoll were shortlisted for the 2014 prize and participated in a mentoring programme where industry experts, including Fund committee members Ben Banks and Jonathan Akeroyd provided guidance on topics including strategic planning, branding, leadership, commercial retail, e-tail and wholesale and digital innovation. Vertu, the world’s leading luxury mobile manufacturer and lead partner on this Fund, played a key role in the mentoring programme and gave access to its team of business leaders in technology, global distribution, legal and finance. BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund judging committee comprises Alexander Fury, Fashion Editor, The Independent; Ben Banks, Director, Fourmarketing; Caroline Rush, Chief Executive, British Fashion Council; Charlie Porter, Men’s Fashion Critic, Financial Times; Dylan Jones OBE, Editor, British GQ and Chair of London Collections: Men; Ignacio Germande, Creative Director, Vertu; Jonathan Akeroyd, CEO Alexander McQueen; John Schofield, Head of Fashion Merchandising, Harvey Nichols and Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO, Vertu.