The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the recipients of its 2026 designer support programmes, with Bianca Saunders, LABRUM and six independent fashion businesses receiving funding to accelerate growth and strengthen the UK's creative fashion sector.
Bianca Saunders has been named the winner of the 2026 BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, receiving a £150,000 grant alongside a tailored programme of business mentoring and professional services. The award, delivered in partnership with British Vogue, supports established British designers with the potential to achieve long-term international growth.
Since launching her eponymous label following graduation from the Royal College of Art in 2017, Saunders has earned widespread acclaim for redefining contemporary menswear through the lens of her British-Caribbean heritage. Her collections explore identity, culture and masculinity, combining innovative tailoring with thoughtful storytelling.
The BFC has also named LABRUM as the recipient of the 2026 BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund. Founded by Foday Dumbuya in 2014, the menswear label will receive a £100,000 grant, a year-long business mentorship programme, pro bono legal support from Sheridans and access to a network of specialist business advisers.
Drawing on Dumbuya's upbringing in Sierra Leone, Cyprus and London, LABRUM has established a distinctive identity by blending African cultural narratives with British tailoring. The brand has gained international recognition for collections that celebrate migration, identity and the African diaspora while presenting a contemporary vision of British menswear.
Alongside the two flagship awards, the BFC has revealed the latest recipients of the BFC Fashion Trust, its grant programme designed to support designers at key stages of business development. The 2026 recipients are Clio Peppiatt, Conner Ives, Nicholas Daley, Paolo Carzana, Patrick McDowell and Tolu Coker.
Established in 2011, the BFC Fashion Trust has distributed more than £3 million through the BFC Foundation, supporting 59 designer businesses with investment across areas including production, merchandising, e-commerce and product development. The initiative was recognised at The Fashion Awards 2025, where founder Tania Fares received a Special Recognition Award celebrating 15 years of the programme.
Commenting on the announcements, BFC chief executive Laura Weir said the awards reflect the organisation's commitment to supporting commercially resilient British fashion businesses through its BFC 2030 strategy. She described Bianca Saunders and LABRUM as designers whose creative vision and cultural storytelling exemplify the strength of British fashion, while noting that the Fashion Trust continues to play an important role in helping independent businesses scale sustainably.
The BFC's portfolio of prizes and funding programmes forms part of the BFC Foundation, which provides financial support, mentoring and business development opportunities to designers at different stages of their careers, with the aim of strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the British fashion industry.
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