Erdem Moralioglu - a favourite of British sartorialists from Keira Knightley to Sarah Brown - adds another feather to his well-decorated cap today as he becomes the first recipient of the British Fashion Council/Vogue Fashion Fund.
The Montreal-born designer, who is based in London, scoops a £200,000 prize pot as well as access to high-profile mentors and top-level business advice, which will assist him in developing his burgeoning label into a global fashion brand.
"I am thrilled to be the winner of the BFC Vogue Fashion Fund. It is an honour," Erdem said. "The prize will help us to take our business to the next level. It is so integral for us to be showing in London and the support of the BFC and Vogue will allow us to grow our business internationally."
The prize, which mirrors the highly-acclaimed CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund available to fledgling designers working in the US, was launched by BFC chairman Harold Tillman in September 2009 to tie-in with the Council's 25-year anniversary. And, with such a wealth of talent already being nurtured in the capital via schemes such as NewGen, Fashion Forward and Fashion East, the judging panel have stressed that it was by no means an easy decision.
Erdem beat off stiff competition from Angel Jackson, Christopher Kane, Clements Ribeiro, E. Tautz, Marios Schwab, Nicholas Kirkwood and Richard Nicoll to emerge triumphant. But, a legion of celebrity fans aside, his unique, artisan style and commercial strengths marked him out from the crowd.
Comments Tillman: "Erdem has excellent design credentials, an impressive business plan and creates beautiful collections season after season. I am proud to say that the British Fashion Council's Vogue Designer Fashion Fund will play a key role in developing Erdem's already prominent designer business both here in the UK and abroad."
Picture: Erdem, autumn/winter 2010.
