Bell Pottinger announces partnership with BFC Fashion Trust
The British Fashion Council‘s (BFC) Trust has called in Bell Pottinger to provide emerging designers with guidance on their brand and digital strategies.
The Fashion Trust is a British Fashion Council initiative, which was founded in February 2011, to promote ‘the art and business of fashion’. It offers business support to British based designers through financial grants, mentoring and a graduate traineeship programme.
In 2016, The BFC Fashion Trust, which is co-chaired by Tania Fares and Sian Westerman, awarded grants totalling £350,000 to 12 recipients.
Bell Pottinger will mentor a selection of these beneficiaries and provide advice on strategic brand positioning and digital marketing.
Fares said: “Since the inception of the BFC Fashion Trust we have seen designers go on to achieve great success and growth. We are very excited to be working with Bell Pottinger on this initiative and look forward to mentoring more British talent in 2017.”
Bell Pottinger will kick off the initiative this month supporting two brands; womenswear brand Eudon Choi (pictured), who won the LYCRA®Style Emerging Talent Award at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in New York in 2011; and Mother of Pearl, the winner of the Walpole Emerging British Luxury Talent prize.
The agency will support one designer per quarter, with the aim of raising the profile, e-commerce and online presence of each brand through strategic media relations, social campaigns and collaborations with influencers and ambassadors.
Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer the Fashion Trust recipients the expertise and guidance of the Bell Pottinger team on brand positioning and digital marketing. Communications define and play a fundamental role in every brand’s identity and strategy and being able to receive the expertise of professionals such as Bell Pottinger is a fantastic opportunity and privilege for our designers.”
Karlina Nathan, Bell Pottinger’s head of luxury, will lead the account with the wider Bell Pottinger Luxury team.
Nathan said: “New talent is the lifeblood of British fashion, and as a consultancy, we are passionate about working with talented young people to unlock their potential. We are delighted to have been invited to partner with the BFC Fashion Trust to support the next generation of designer businesses.”