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The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced a new partnership between the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and JD.com Inc., China’s largest retailer with 258.3m customers.
With China being the world’s second largest consumer and luxury market and an increased interest from Chinese consumers for British designers, the partnership will allow the BFC to help talent engage with the Chinese market.
Earlier this year JD.com Inc. launched JD Fashion with the goal to expand its global fashion presence and bring more brands to China.
As a result, the partnership will also help enable the company to support Britain’s design talent and increase its footprint in China.
Additionally, JD Fashion will help designers that are part of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund to enter an often “difficult to navigate” Chinese market.
Earlier this year, JD.com, Inc. created the world’s first luxury white glove service through which online luxury fashion purchases are hand-delivered in electric vehicles by couriers clad in distinctive suits.
The partnership will be effective from January 2018 and will benefit the 2018 Fund winners.
To launch this partnership JD Fashion supported Mary Katrantzou, winner in 2015 and Huishan Zhang shortlisted in 2017, on their London Fashion Week September 2017 shows.
JD.com Inc. joins existing funders including British Vogue, Burberry, Harrods, LABEL, Paul Smith and Topshop.
Caroline Rush CBE, chief executive British Fashion Council, said: “The Chinese market is extremely important to our designers. This partnership with JD Fashion is very exciting as it will enable us to offer to the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund expertise on how to best penetrate the Chinese market.
“JD.com is a company that is known for protecting its brands against counterfeits, something very important as we need to make sure that the creativity and excellence of our designers is protected.”
Xia Ding, president JD Fashion commented: “We are delighted to partner with the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund to help support the world’s best up-and-coming designers.
“We believe strongly in partnering with designers throughout their careers, from helping them get their start in the industry, to entering the Chinese market and building their brands, to protecting their IP. This marks a starting point for what we expect to be a deep, long-term relationship with the British fashion community.”
