Winner 2014

The winner of this year’s BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund supported by Vertu is Christopher Shannon. The Fund was established in September 2013 following the success of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and provides one designer with £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, 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.  

“A big congratulations to Christopher Shannon, the deserving winner of the very first BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund. Over the mentoring programme every shortlisted designer presented a level of talent and business acumen that is second to none. While the competition was tough, Christopher’s win attests to the very bright future of British menswear, demonstrating original flair, meticulous craftsmanship and an in-depth commercial understanding. These ingredients, combined with this fantastic prize, will see this business sit confidently on the global stage.”- Dylan Jones, Editor of British GQ and Chair of London Collections: Men

 Find out more about Christopher Shannon.

For further information, please contact:
Nathan Cole
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7759 1956
nathan.cole@britishfashioncouncil.com