The British Fashion Council unveils the winners of the "BFC Fashion Trust" 2026 Meet the designers set to reshape the fashion system
The British Fashion Council has announced the winners of the BFC Fashion Trust 2026, the BFC Foundation programme that, since 2011, has provided financial and strategic support to some of the most compelling names in the new British fashion scene. This year’s selected designers are Clio Peppiatt, Conner Ives, Nicholas Daley, Paolo Carzana, Patrick McDowell and Tolu Coker, six creatives who, over the past few years, have helped redefine the language of London fashion through deeply personal and independent identities.
Since its launch, the Fashion Trust has distributed more than £3 million in funding, supporting 59 creative businesses in the development of production, merchandising and e-commerce. Over the years, the initiative has become one of the most impactful tools within the British fashion system for tangibly supporting emerging talent. Its influence was also celebrated during the The Fashion Awards 2025, where founder Tania Fares received a Special Recognition Award marking the initiative’s fifteenth anniversary.
The selection was overseen by a jury chaired by Caroline Issa, BFC board member and Chief Executive and Fashion Director of TANK, alongside representatives from organisations including British Vogue, Kurt Geiger and Ixora Holdings. In the official statement, BFC CEO Laura Weir declared: «As part of our BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth strategy, we have redefined the British Fashion Council’s awards and programmes through a commitment to delivering focused, practical support capable of generating measurable impact. The BFC Fashion Trust continues to represent an essential part of this commitment».
Caroline Issa also highlighted the significance of the selected designers: «The finalists embody what makes British talent so special: resilience, individuality, determination and fearlessness». The recognition arrives at a delicate moment for the independent fashion system and confirms how financial support, today, forms part of a broader cultural and strategic vision of fashion.