Back in 1993, #LondonFashionWeek was skeletal. The UK’s economy was in a deep recession and Vivienne Westwood had just decamped to Paris. In a bid to attract retailers and press to the London shows, the British Fashion Council made a bet on the city’s young design talent, initiating a scheme called NewGen to help fledgling labels show their collections.
Originally, the programme sought to simply offer young talent a venue in which to present their work, but over the years, with the help of sponsors like Topshop, designers, chosen by an industry-led committee, began to receive cash awards, as well as mentorship, from NewGen.
Many of the most promising young labels to participate in London’s NewGen scheme went boom… before they went bust. But the programme, which turns 30 this year, enables a laboratory of creativity that benefits the whole industry, writes Susanna Lau. Read the full story in our #linkinbio
✍️ Susanna Lau
📷 Andy Stagg
Originally, the programme sought to simply offer young talent a venue in which to present their work, but over the years, with the help of sponsors like Topshop, designers, chosen by an industry-led committee, began to receive cash awards, as well as mentorship, from NewGen.
Many of the most promising young labels to participate in London’s NewGen scheme went boom… before they went bust. But the programme, which turns 30 this year, enables a laboratory of creativity that benefits the whole industry, writes Susanna Lau. Read the full story in our #linkinbio
✍️ Susanna Lau
📷 Andy Stagg
