The funding, from the BFC Education Foundation, is available for students enrolled in their final year of study for a full-time BA (Hons) degree in Fashion. The aim of the scholarship is to promote excellence in design by financially supporting students who have the ability and potential to make an exceptional contribution to the fashion industry.
The BFC is dedicated to establishing pathways through education and into employment for exceptionally talented people studying fashion courses. The BFC has been providing MA scholarships since 1998 and is now offering support for BA scholarships to ensure that talented young students have the opportunity to learn the trade regardless of their financial situation.
The BFC is delighted to congratulate Cavan McPherson and Pip Paz-Howlett as the recipients of the BFC Education Foundation BA Scholarship 2016. Both scholarships have been awarded to contribute towards living expenses and to support the costs of creating their final collections.
Cavan specialises in womenswear at Manchester School of Art and was selected due to her elegant handle on using ethical fabrics and her conceptual, androgynous designs.
Pip specialises in Menswear at University of Westminster and focuses on print and textiles including silk screen printing and fabric printing. The panel was impressed with his dedication, having started his BTEC at sixteen and teaching himself knitwear.
In recognition of the exceptional talent involved in this year’s applications, the panel has decided to award an additional prize to Jake Treddenick who is studying womenswear at London College of Fashion and has an expertise in areas of production, research and concept development.
Pieces from all three design students will be on display at the BFC Colleges Council Graduate Preview Day, taking place on Friday, 13th May at the Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design. The Graduate Preview Day provides an opportunity for industry professionals to assess the talent emerging from the UK’s top fashion colleges, review their portfolios as well as to foster relationships between graduates and the industry. Also on display will be pieces from this year’s graduating MA Scholarship winners: Emmeline Kellett, Grace Weller and Taja Bobek.
The finalists selected from 30 of the UK’s most respected design schools were interviewed by a panel that included Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent, Chief Critic at Voguerunway.com, Contributing Editor to Vogue US and Trustee of the Education Foundation; Clara Mercer, Head of Communications, British Fashion Council; Janet Lance-Hughes, artist and former Pathway Leader for BA Fashion Design with Marketing; Laura Hinson, Senior Show Manager, British Fashion Council; Paula Reed, Director of Brand Strategy, Boutique 1 Group; Zowie Broach, Head of Fashion at Royal College of Art.
The BFC Education Foundation is dependent upon the generosity of the companies and individuals funding scholarships; Coach, Marks & Spencer, Mulberry, Dame Natalie Massenet and Eiesha Bharti Pasricha. The project has also been partly supported by HM Government with Employer Ownership funding through Creative Skillset.
Sarah Mower MBE, who is co-president of the BFC Education Pillar with Meribeth Parker, said: ‘Being able to support student talent financially is one of the most important and exciting missions of the British Fashion Council. In the interview process it is incredibly rewarding to start relationships with creative people with fresh ideas which will form the future. So far, the students selected by the BFC Education Foundation committee have all graduated with First Class degrees, an incredible success rate which has only been made possible by the immense generosity of our donors, to whom we are continually grateful. The great thing for us is that winning this prize isn't just crucial to students being able to afford their studies and to produce top-notch final collections but it also opens up access for students to be invited to industry seminars and the many programmes about business we run.’
The BFC will continue to develop scholarships for undergraduate design students based on the success of the Pilot in 2015. The five students that were awarded with scholarships all graduated with a First Class Honours and have gone onto postgraduate study or employment.
For more information please visit britishfashioncouncil.com/education
For further information on the BFC Education Foundation and BFC Colleges Council, please contact:
Lucy Mountain
lucy.mountain@britishfashioncouncil.com | +44 (0) 20 7759 1943
For press enquiries, please contact:
Will Iron
will.iron@britishfashioncouncil.com | +44 (0) 20 7759 1968