Johnnie Boden and the British Fashion Council (BFC) are thrilled to welcome three new brands to the Future British programme as it enters its second year. Luxury accessories brand Loxley England, artisan jeweler Alighieri and shoe designer Dora Teymur join Arthur Yates of Bruta and Alice Ashby of Blake-LDN.
The first Future British designers Camilla Elphick, Samantha McCoach of Le Kilt and Caitlin Charles Jones become the inaugural alumni, taking with them a wealth of new brand building skills and new business connections.
All Future British designers are encouraged to maintain the relationships they have built with the Boden leadership team, the British Fashion Council and its partners over the last twelve months.
“It has been great to see the designers grow and flourish with the mentorship we offer at Boden; their energy and ideas are thoroughly infectious. It’s also great for us to connect with the future of British fashion,” said Johnnie Boden.
Caroline Rush, British Fashion Council Chief Executive commented: “Through Future British, Boden has already fostered the businesses of several exciting young British brands, and I am delighted to welcome the next wave of designers to receive the invaluable mentoring and financial support that Future British offers.”
ABOUT FUTURE BRITISH
Future British is an exciting collaboration that will support new British designers (men’s, women’s or accessories) as they build their businesses in the fashion arena. Over a 12-month period, the designers selected to participate will benefit from Boden’s expertise. As well as seasonal financial support, they will receive mentoring in all areas key to building a global brand. This includes access to Boden’s studios for shoots, product development, brand identity, look books and PR, marketing and digital strategy. Recipients of Future British, a Boden-led initiative, will also gain access to the brand’s leadership team, from Chairman Johnnie Boden to CEO Julian Granville, Product Director Matthew Hilgeman and Global Brand Director Penny Herriman. The BFC will provide additional support through the BFC Fashion Business Network, including advice and support with legal, accounting, banking, production, content and communications.
ABOUT BODEN
The British catalogue and online retailer was launched in 1991 by founder and CEO Johnnie Boden with just eight menswear products. The brand quickly expanded into womenswear and childrenswear and now has over 1.5million customers worldwide. Boden’s stylish range of clothing and accessories are available to buy via catalogue in the UK, USA, Germany, France, Australia and Austria, and online in over 60 countries.
ABOUT THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL
The British Fashion Council (BFC) was set up in 1983 to promote British fashion internationally and co-ordinate this promotion through fashion weeks, designer showrooms and showcasing events. The BFC now supports designers beginning at college level and extending to talent identification, business support and showcasing schemes to help British designer businesses develop their profiles and business globally and promote British fashion and its influential role in Britain and London. The BFC Colleges Council offers support to students through its Foundation, BA and MA scholarships, links with industry through design competitions and Graduate Preview Day. Talent identification and business support schemes include BFC Fashion Film sponsored by River Island; BFC Rock Vault; BFC Headonism; BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund; BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and NEWGEN. The BFC supports Boden’s Future British initiative. The BFC also runs and owns charities including the BFC Fashion Arts Foundation, the BFC Fashion Trust and the BFC Education Foundation. Showcasing initiatives and events include London Fashion Week, London Fashion Week Men’s, LONDON show ROOMS, International Fashion Showcase, London Fashion Week Festival and the annual celebration of excellence in the fashion industry: The Fashion Awards.
MEET THE NEW 2017 DESIGNERS
Loxley England
With a focus on clean lines, simplicity and timelessness, Loxley England is an English family business founded in 2014 in the seaside town of Brighton and Hove. Building on traditional values such as quality, craft and enduring appeal, the duo behind the brand – siblings James and Tess Andrews - have injected both youth and finesse with sleek design and pops of colour.
The design process takes place in the Loxley studio, and quality comes into every element and decision; from the material choices and bespoke cutting, to the most luxurious zips possible. No detail is overlooked. With emphasis on superior leather production, each step of the manufacturing process is carefully considered and carried out by highly skilled craftspeople, using bespoke tools to ensure perfection.
Loxley England stockists include Fenwick London, Lambert’s Yard, Clerkenwell London and Arnotts.
Alighieri
London-based, Rosh Mahtani studied French and Italian at Oxford University. Upon graduating in 2012, she was inspired to create modern heirlooms, born from the literature she had studied: Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy,” in particular. With no formal training, and a vehement obsession with the idea of melancholy and imperfection, Rosh launch Alighieri in 2014. Just like Dante’s subjects, each piece of jewellery is battered, imperfect, and a little bit melancholy. Every piece tells a story, embodying a modern heirloom that travels with you on your own adventures. Rosh wanted to create a brand that is firmly rooted in literature and travel – that tells a story of whirlwind adventures, battered creatures, scraggy landscapes and passionate mistakes.
Alighieri is currently stocked at Joseph, The Store (Soho House Berlin, Soho Farmhouse), Shop at Bluebird, Bjork Florence and Sanayi313.
Dorateymur
A graduate of the prestigious Cordwainers School at the London College of Fashion, Turkish designer Dora Teymur founded his footwear brand in 2012. Teymur’s contemporary designs combine nostalgia and meticulous craftsmanship with a modern edge, fast becoming the must haves of street style icons and fashion editors.
Dorateymur is currently stocked in Browns, Net-a-Porter, Opening Ceremony, Selfridges, Rare Market and Corso Como.