With the 2025 Fashion Awards only one weekand away, the British Fashion Council is continuing to stoke excitement for the big night, revealing yet another award winning beforehand. Earlier this month, the BFC announced Anok Yai as Model of the Year as well as the 50 young recipients of its NEW WAVE: Creatives award, and now we can reveal that iconic talent incubator Fashion East is also scooping a gong this year.
“The British Fashion Council is pleased to announce that Lulu Kennedy and Raphaelle Moore will receive a Special Recognition Award for 25 years of Fashion East at The Fashion Awards 2025,” the BFC shared with Dazed. “The Award honours talent incubator Fashion East which marks its 25th anniversary this year, recognising Lulu and Raphaelle’s outstanding leadership and the impactful legacy of the initiative.”
As well as the fancy award, this morning’s announcement comes with a second piece of good news: the BFC is significantly increasing its support of Fashion East over the coming years. “The BFC is delighted to confirm that it will double its support over the next three years to Fashion East, to help ensure the UK remains the global leader in creative talent,” read the statement. “This pipeline of talent is essential to the industry and to the work of the BFC Foundation.”
Over the course of 25 years, Kennedy and Moore’s talent incubator has offered bright design talent precious funding as well as prime slots on the London Fashion Week calendar. Names that have emerged from Fashion East include Martine Rose, Kim Jones, Jonathan Anderson, Maximilian Davis, Simone Rocha, Grace Wales Bonner and Mowalola to name a few.
“I had very little knowledge of the industry I was getting into when I launched Fashion East with the Truman Brewery back in 2000,” said Kennedy when we asked her about the last 25 years. “I just cared about listening to the designers we were looking after so we could figure out the best way to support them. I never could have guessed [the BFC] would honour us like this. It’s a lovely surprise, thanks to the brilliant new energy and leadership of Laura Weir, who we love!”
In the statement released this morning, Weir also added: “Fashion East is one of the most important incubators of creative talent globally. Lulu and Raphaelle have continually given emerging designers an essential first step into the fashion industry, both supporting careers and nurturing creative expression. I have personally experienced being part of the community that Fashion East creates, and our industry is a better place because of their unwavering commitment, instinct and belief in new ideas.”
Earlier this year, to celebrate Fashion East’s 25th anniversary, Kennedy and Moore gathered designers and muses past and present for the Autumn 2025 cover of Dazed. Reflecting on all those designers, and looking forward to the next 25 years, Kennedy and Moore told us that they “won’t change how we operate, or the energy we bring to support the designers. We’ll keep relevant by respecting the designers vision and continue to join forces with likeminded allies much like Nike, Truman Brewery, Dazed and the ICA – patrons and partners who are aligned with us will ensure the legacy remains protected.”
The Fashion Awards 2025 are taking place on Monday, December 1 at the Royal Albert Hall