The BFC NEWGEN mentorship scheme, sponsored by Topshop, is one of the most coveted support systems in the fashion world. Each season, a selection of the best and the brightest young designers receive financial help, business training, individual mentorship and showcasing opportunities at London Fashion Week, either on the catwalk or in a presentation slot; it’s a dream come true for young designers. Since the scheme began in 1993, designers such as Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane and J.W. Anderson have all been part of the legacy. NEWGEN are doing something right.

For the SS17 season, there are both regulars and a new face receiving the coveted support, including NEWGEN old-timers (and fashion week favourites) Ashley Williams, Ryan Lo and Molly Goddard, who will all be staging catwalk shows. Other recipients include Danielle Romeril, Faustine Steinmetz, Sadie Williams and Marta Jakubowski, who will all show their collections through presentations. A new edition to NEWGEN’s impressive line-up is newcomer Paula Knorr, the Royal Academy of Art graduate whose womenswear brand is now in its third season. Chosen for their creativity, strong design aesthetic and potential to become global fashion brands, these NEWGEN recipients are names you need to remember.

Sarah Mower MBE, BFC Ambassador for Emerging Talent, Chief Critic, and Chair of the NEWGEN committee (is there anything she doesn’t do?) commented that “the designers who graduate through this scheme are the lifeblood of London and its reputation as a creative hotbed…this generation is thinking of new ways of presenting and are natural communicators of the digital age – they are all individualists with exciting, optimistic ideas which are a delight to see.” We can’t wait to see their collections!