Time To Celebrate Fashion Film

Vogue creative director Jaime Perlman is a panel member of the British Fashion Council's Fashion Film initiative. Here she names her favourite shorts from this season's shortlist and explains why this latest crop of upcoming film-makers could be the competition's strongest to date.

TODAY marks the fifth Fashion Film Festival, the collaboration between the BFC and River Island that promotes the medium of film as an important vehicle for designers to exhibit their work. The initiative provides funding, mentoring and a platform for brands wishing to use film to showcase their collections.

A still from Maryam L'Ange's film for Opening Ceremony

This season, however, River Island and the BFC have upped the ante in the films chosen to participate, extending to not only independent brands, but also including editorial films for Vogue. Interestingly, there has been a notable presence of female directors in this season's roster; Kinga Burza collaborated with Katie Eary and River Island; Ellen Von Unwerth worked with design duo Sister by Sibling and Swarovski; and Maryam L'Ange directed a beautiful film for Opening Ceremony. And, although not included in the main event at Somerset House this evening, director Amy Gwatkin did a notably great short for up-and-coming brand Leutton Postle.