Bianca Saunders is 2024’s BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund winner

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has revealed Bianca Saunders as the winner of the 2024 BFC/GQ Designer Fashion Fund. The fund was established in 2013 and Saunders joins an impressive list of recent winners that includes Wales Bonner (2023), Nicholas Daley (2022), Ahluwalia (2021) and A-COLD-WALL (2019).

And the prize? Saunders gets a cash boost of £100,000 to support her business growth and her label’s “contribution to the British and global fashion ecosystem”, as well as pro-bono bespoke high-level business mentoring and professional services. 

Saunders launched her menswear label after graduating from The Royal College of Art in 2017. Combining tradition and modernity while blurring the lines between masculine and feminine, her designs are rooted in her British-Caribbean roots and her “viewing clothing as a dynamic expression of self”.

BFC chief Caroline Rush said the judges were “extremely impressed with her incredible attention to detail and craftsmanship. Bianca has worked incredibly hard to position the brand at the forefront of menswear design today, and it’s been so inspiring to watch Bianca and her brand grow over the years. Congratulations to all the shortlisted designers who are a true testament to the ground-breaking creative talent we have in the UK”.

And Saunders herself added: “The support from the BFC and GQ means the world to my team and me. Having great guidance from them and mentorship alongside the support was needed for our next stage. This opportunity allows us to grow and develop Bianca Saunders into a sustainably thriving business with a lasting impact on our community. London is at the heart of the brand, and it has helped us achieve global recognition. I am proud to be part of the vibrant creativity that thrives here.”