Sarah Mower first Ambassador for Emerging Talent

The British Fashion Council (BFC) appoints leading fashion journalist Sarah Mower as its first Ambassador for Emerging Talent.  This new role will see Sarah developing new initiatives that will increase both profile and sales opportunities for designer businesses, and forms part of the organisation’s re-structure and strengthening under the Council’s 25th year legacy plans.

In this role Sarah will become a key spokesperson for new and developing British talent and will chair the BFC NEWGEN Committee (which identifies London’s most exciting design talents to receive showcasing and business support).  Sarah’s experience and international reputation through her work with Vogue USA, Style.com and leading broadsheets in the UK, provides a solid platform to expand links with key decision makers to the benefit of emerging British design talent. 

The creation of this role will formalise and build on the support Sarah has given to the BFC over many years.  In March this year, Sarah hosted an opening brunch for ‘LONDONshowROOM’s in Paris’, a BFC initiative to assist British talent sell their collections during Paris fashion week.  The event attracted some of the world’s most powerful fashion editors and buyers. 

Sarah Mower said “I'm honoured to be asked to take up this role on behalf of emerging designers. In Britain we have a phenomenon on our hands at the moment: a uniquely vibrant, varied and collaborative flowering of talent that is some of the most exciting on the world stage.  I'm delighted to put myself at their service to help project that incredible energy and originality at home and internationally. It's a tough economy, but I believe the inspired and beautifully made clothes our designers are producing now gives young London an opportunity to shine.”

Caroline Rush, Joint Chief Executive of the BFC, said “Sarah’s vision and experience will help us develop our support for NEWGEN and emerging designer businesses, creating new opportunities to promote these extraordinary talents internationally.”

NEWGEN is sponsored by Topshop.  Those designers receiving NEWGEN support for London Fashion Week September 2009 will be announced on Monday 15th June 2009 at Somerset House.  London Fashion Week will take place at Somerset House from Friday 18th September until Tuesday 22nd September 2009.  For more information visit www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

• -          Ends -

Editors notes

• ·   The British Fashion Council (BFC) is a not for profit company limited by guarantee set up in 1983 to promote British fashion and co-ordinate this promotion through fashion weeks, exhibitions and showcasing events
• ·   London Fashion Week is organised by the British Fashion Council
• ·   The British Fashion Council is ‘Celebrating 25 Years of British Fashion’ throughout 2009.  This encompasses 25 years of the British Fashion Council, 25 years of promoting London Fashion Week and 25 years of British Fashion Awards
• ·   The NEWGEN sponsorship was established in 1993, acting as a promotional launch pad for young designers, attracting media profile, orders and investment whilst offering encouragement and support for new talent.  NEWGEN is sponsored by Topshop.
• ·   Fashion Forward was established three years ago to provide financial support to the UK’s most talented designers who are in the early stages of developing their business and have already established a profile at London Fashion Week
• ·   LONDONshowROOMS is a British Fashion Council initiative, created in October 2008 as a new initiative to support emerging designer businesses. This initiative was developed and managed by Anna Orsini, BFC head of international relations and supported by the London Development Agency and UKTI
• ·   Andrew Tucker will remain a BFC Talent Scout.