BFC Changemakers Prize nominees announced

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the nominees for the BFC Changemakers Prize, an initiative that aims to discover and celebrate the “unsung stars” of the fashion industry.

Launched in April in partnership with Swarovski, the BFC Changemakers Prize is open across multiple disciplines to anyone “making outstanding contributions, striving for positive change and inspiring others”.

The prize received over 500 applications before nine finalists were selected by a panel of nine industry veterans including BFC chief executive Caroline Rush, Swarovski creative director Giovanna Engelbert, and British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful.

Entrants were nominated by colleagues, peers, employers and businesses for their work within one of the three pillars of the BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF): Environment, People or Craftsmanship, and Community.

The nine nominees are:

People

Cyndia Harvey - Hair-maker

Laura Johnson and Zoe Proctor - Image-maker

Rahemur Rahman - Image-maker

Environment

John Hickling - Craft-maker

Natalie Glaze and Zanna Van Dijk - Eco-maker

Patrick McDowell - Dress-maker

Community and Craftsmanship

Andrew Kenny - Thread-maker

Cozette McCreery - Community-maker

Daisy Knatchbull - Stitch-maker

Three winners, one representing each IPF pillar, will be revealed on Thursday September 2 and will receive 7,500 pounds in cash as well as a mentoring package from the BFC and Swarovski.

When launching the prize in April, BFC chief executive Caroline Rush said: “We often talk about the 890,000 people our industry employs and I am thrilled to discover some of their stories and hear their achievements.

“From the shop floor and the studios, to the manufacturers and head offices, we are searching across the country for anyone, regardless of their job title, to find out who has contributed through their work in creating an industry which we are all so proud to be a part of.”