The British Fashion Council (BFC) announced the shortlist for the BFC/GQ Designer Menswear Fund supported by Vertu.

Christopher Raeburn, Christopher Shannon, Lou Dalton, E. Tautz and Richard Nicoll are the shortlisted designers for the first edition of the BFC/GQ Fashion Fund.

The contest helps to promote emerging talents in the British menswear industry. According to Dylan Jones, Editor of British GQ and Chair of London Collections, the current generation of British menswear designers might be the best ever, as they not only have creativity in abundance, but also a keen business sense, which is necessary to achieve long-lasting successful results.

The five finalists have already begun a mentoring programme developed by the BFC, where a panel of experts provides guidance on topics such as branding, leadership, commercial retail, e-tail and wholesale and digital innovation. The panel which includes members of the team behind the luxury phone brand Vertu, the Fund’s main sponsor, will choose one first-place recipient of an high level training programme over a twelve month period, as well as a £150,000 grant and £50,000 value in kind services.

The winner of the Fund will be announced before the next London Collections: Men SS15, which are scheduled for 15th - 17th June 2014.