Mary Katrantzou has won this year's BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund prize.
Mary Katrantzou
The 31-year-old designer has picked up the sought after award beating off competition from Emilia Wickstead, Holly Fulton, Michael van der Ham, Mother of Pearl, Osman and Sophia Webster.
The prize - whose previous winners include Christopher Kane, Erdem and Nicholas Kirkwood - offers designers with a mentoring support programme for twelve months as well as a £200,000 grant to help them take their business to the next level.
Mary told Vogue magazine following the announcement she was to take home the award: "You go through different stages of growth in your business and this past year specifically has been huge for us so it's incredible to win now. Before the announcement I didn't really think, 'What if we win?' Everyone is just so strong in different ways, and everyone needs the award for different reasons, that you never really consider that. You are constantly called to raise your game by all the amazing talent that's around you here in London and that can inspire you to do great things. I'm so grateful."
Editor of British Vogue Alexandra Shulman - who is also the chair of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund - said: "It was an extremely diverse shortlist but ultimately we all agreed that Mary has not only created a strong and hugely appealing identity for her work but that she has put in place measures that, along with the support of this prize, should ensure an exciting and successful next stage of her career."
Greek-born Mary studied at London's prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and showed her first collection at London Fashion Week in 2008.
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