British Fashion Council announces new partnership with Bicester Village

The British Fashion Council has confirmed a new two-year partnership
with BFC patron and supporter, the Bicester Village Shopping Collection,
which will see them supporting British fashion talent with a tailored
programme of expert guidance in business development.

In a short statement, the British Fashion Council said the partnership
is the latest development of the Bicester Village Shopping Collection’s
mentorship programme, ‘The Business of Retail’ and will give a handpicked
group of BFC Fashion Trust, BFC Vogue Designer Fashion Fund alumni and
established British brands tailored business development, mentoring and
support.

In addition, the initiative will bring together the collective of
designer businesses to be part of what it is calling an “exclusive and
unique annual sample sale,” which will feature curated British designers at
Bicester Village in the autumn to showcase the brands in a “direct to
consumer experience”.

The press release adds that this is a first for both organisations and
will put into practice ‘The Business of Retail’ development, which the
designers will receive as part of the partnership’s mentorship programme.

The partnership was announced at the Fashion Forum, which the British
Fashion Council hosted in collaboration with innovation consultancy
TheCurrent, bringing together a curated group of 140 business leaders and
industry activists including representation from global brands,
international retailers and designer businesses, who collectively debated
and shared knowledge on the topic ‘Breaking Through Barriers’.