Established in 2013, the BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund aims to celebrate exceptional talent and creativity, and empower businesses through bespoke high-level business mentoring and professional services.
Since its inception, winners of the BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund include Bianca Saunders (2024), WALES BONNER (2023), Nicholas Daley (2022), Ahluwalia (2021), A-COLD-WALL* (2019), Craig Green (2016), E Tautz (2015) and Christopher Shannon (2014).
With thanks to Sheridans for their pro-bono legal services, and the BFC Fashion Business Network and one-to-one mentors.
The winning recipient of the BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund receives a grant through the BFC Foundation (Registered Charity Number: 1185152). The foundation, established in 2020, brought all of the BFC’s charitable initiatives under one umbrella and supports the future growth and success of the British fashion industry by focusing on three areas: Education, Grant-Giving & Business Mentoring, and Institute of Positive Fashion. Each recipient signs a grant agreement with the BFC Foundation which includes a Code of Conduct, and requirements to ensure that applicants provide key information for future impact reporting.
IPF STANDARDS 2024
The Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF) has developed a set of Minimum and Bronze Standards for BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund designer participants and its programme of events.
Each of the Minimum and Bronze standards are mapped against the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ranging from ending poverty and deprivation to improving health and education, reducing gender inequalities, developing responsible production and consumption, implementing climate action, and saving our oceans and forests. These 17 SDGs are a united call for action by nations across the globe.
The Standards apply to seven focus areas of a garment’s life cycle: #1 strategic direction, #2 raw material sourcing, #3 design, #4 manufacturing and distribution, #5 retail, consumer engagement and post-consumer, #6 working conditions and #7 fashion shows.
Our aim is for all BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund participants to comply with the stipulations of each focus area by integrating the Minimum and Bronze Standards into the criteria, allowing us to assess and monitor.
We are grateful to Copenhagen Fashion Week Sustainability Action Plan 2020-2022 for taking the lead in devising these sustainable requirements which have helped to shape our Standards.
