NEWS: Fashion Council Germany and VOGUE Germany launch
FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund in Germany

An important signal for fashion from Germany

With the launch of the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund in Germany, VOGUE Germany and the Fashion Council Germany are reaffirming their common goal of promoting German fashion and creating a platform that actively accompanies young design talents in particular on their way into the industry. The Fashion Council Germany, as the interest group of German fashion, offers participants exclusive access to its internal network, among other things, and thus creates comprehensive networking opportunities. VOGUE Germany complements the partnership in particular with its many years of experience with the format.

"German fashion has a special significance for VOGUE Germany and we see it as our task to promote it and give it more visibility internationally. Together with the Fashion Council Germany, we are therefore now sending an important signal for their promotion of young talent. The VOGUE Fashion Fund is one of the most renowned international initiatives to pave the way for young talents to enter the industry. Creating a corresponding counterpart for Germany has been our wish for a long time. The fact that VOGUE Germany is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year is an ideal setting for us to choose a winning brand with a big party in autumn," says Kerstin Weng, Head of Editorial Content VOGUE Germany.

Scott Lipinski, CEO Fashion Council Germany, adds: "The promotion of young and exceptional talents has been close to our hearts at Fashion Council Germany since our founding in 2015 and thus forms the basis of our work. In our projects, we always focus on accompanying and promoting up-and-coming labels and designers in and from Germany in every phase of their careers. With the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund, we have now launched an initiative together with VOGUE Germany with which we will support extraordinary design talent not only monetarily, but also with an extensive mentoring program."

Founded in the USA in 2003, the Fashion Fund enjoys a great international reputation. Prominent winning labels include Christopher John Rogers (2019), Joseph Altuzarra (2011) and, in 2023, German designer Melitta Baumeister. In 2024, the CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the USA and now also has local editions in the UK, Spain and China, among others.

In Germany, the FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund is scheduled as a year-round project, and applications have been open since February 6, 2024 (LINK). Passionate fashion designers and brands based in Germany who pursue a creative and innovative approach and whose business activity is limited to a minimum of one year and a maximum of four years can apply.

The project is supported by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises as well as a renowned jury of experts, which includes Kerstin Weng, Head of Editorial Content VOGUE Germany, and Scott Lipinski, CEO Fashion Council Germany, Edward Enninful, OBE, Editorial Advisor British VOGUE and Global Creative as well as Cultural Advisor of VOGUE, Margaret Zhang, Editor-in-Chief VOGUE China, and Mumi Haiati, CEO and Founder Reference Studios. The jury will initially select seven finalists as part of Berlin Fashion Week in July 2024. The winning label will then be announced in October 2024 at an award ceremony in Berlin. The FCG/VOGUE Fashion Fund is endowed with a prize worth a total of 100,000 euros. This includes a fashion show including production for Berlin Fashion Week in February 2025 as well as a business mentoring program and various communication measures.

Picture Credit: Franziska Krug for Fashion Council Germany