May 5, 2022 |
What a week it’s been for sportswear maven Saul Nash. Just days after taking home the International Woolmark Prize, the London-based designer has been announced as the recipient of this year’s The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. Following in the footsteps of previous winners Richard Quinn, Bethany Williams, Alighieri’s Rosh Mahtani and Priya Ahluwalia, Nash was presented his gong at The Design Museum by The Duchess of Cambridge, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.
Lauded for his ability to bridge the gap between luxury and sportswear – looking to his Guyanese heritage and youth growing up in East London, as well as his training as a dancer as the pillars to his collections – Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the British Fashion Council praised Nash for his “unique way of combining function, tech and tailoring in his design practice.”
The newly decorated talent wasn’t alone in his celebrations. The BFC also used the ceremony to announce its Annual Programme of Talent Support. This included the BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund, which is was awarded to Richard Quinn, which includes a £200,000 cash prize and mentoring programme. Also announced was this year’s shortlist for the BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund. Clothsurgeon, LYPH, Nicholas Daley and Olubiyi Thomas are all up for this year’s prize, which will be unveiled during London Fashion Week in June.
Additionally announced was this year’s recipients of the BFC Fashion Trust, which provides grants and mentoring to accelerate sustainable growth amongst independent businesses. The next year’s recipients include the likes of Richard Malone, Wales Bonner and Supriya Lele.
Yesterday also saw the BFC announce the latest cohort of emerging designers who will be supported by its on-going NEWGEN initiative. Talents, selected for their strong design aesthetic and point of difference, include: Ahluwalia, Ancuta Sarca, Asai, Bethany Williams, Chet Lo, Conner Ives, Di Petsa, Eftychia, Feben, Harri, Helen Kirkum, Labrum London, Leo Carlton, Masha Popova, Nensi Dojaka, Paolo Carzana, Robyn Lynch, Roker, S.S.Daley, Saul Nash, Sinéad O’Dwyer, Stefan Cooke and Yuhan Wang.
Through 2021/2022, the BFC remitted over £1.3m in funds to designers and scholars. £932,500 was pumped into the various initiatives mentioned, and a further £400,000 was paid to designers via brand partnerships secured by the BFC.
Photography courtesy British Fashion Council.
