Christopher Kane, Richard Nicoll, Jonathan Saunders and Charlotte Olympia have all been shortlisted to win this year's British Fashion Council(BFC)/Vogue Fashion Fund. They will compete with E. Tautz, Nicholas Kirkwood, OSMAN and Peter Pilotto for the prize, which provides one British-based designer with £200,000 as well as a bespoke, high level mentoring support programme.

All seven runners-up will also be allocated a mentor through the Fund, which is now in its second year. BFC Chairman, Harold Tillman, said: 'The British Fashion Council's Vogue Designer Fashion Fund offers incredibly talented British designers an unparalleled opportunity.

The high level financial support and bespoke mentoring package will play a pivotal role in developing the winning designer business on an international platform. We're very proud to be able to offer our promising designers this support and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our funders.' Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, added

'It is very exciting to be in our second year of the Fund and to be providing such tangible help to this extremely impressive shortlist of British designers.' In order to be eligible for this scheme, designers must have an established business, must be based in the UK, as well as having UK and international stockists and support from key media both UK and internationally.