The British Fashion Council has announced the winners of SS11 sponsorship for London Fashion Week from NewGen Men, the designer support intiative sponsored by Topman. Begun in 2009 to provide menswear designers with showcase funding and the opportunity to use the official BFC catwalk (runway) at Somerset House, NEWGEN Men has increased its number of recipients from four at its inception to ten for this coming Fashion Week.

Winners of catwalk sponsorship are: Christopher Shannon, James Long, and JW Anderson.

Presentations include: Carolyn Massey, Lou Dalton, and Sibling.

Installations will feature: Christopher Raeburn, James Small, Katie Eary, and Omar Kashoura.

I had the pleasure of viewing James Small's debut last season at London Fashion Week, a runway show in the "vault" at Somerset House, an underground space that provided a macabre kind of beauty as a backdrop for the collection which combined classic, formal elements of menswear with contemporary touches. I also attended Omar Kashoura's showcase off-site at a French bistro where guests sipped on cocktails while viewing models sauntering through the space wearing pieces from a collection inspired by the city of London itself, crafted for the man on the go. Read more at The Fashion Spot.

The increasing support of NEWGEN at LFW's designated menswear day (the last day of Fashion Week) is unsurprising considering London's role as a leader on the international menswear scene. It's inspiring the way London designers hold true to the traditions of Savile Row while continuing to incorporate elements of punk and streetwear. The melding of past, present, and future is evident everywhere in the city's street style; you need only look around at the commuters on the Tube for proof that this is a town where men care about fashion, and there isn't a uniform--anything and everything goes.