BFC Foundation Joe Casely-Hayford Scholarship

In 2023, in collaboration with the Casely-Hayford family, the British Fashion Council launched the BFC Foundation MA & BA Joe Casely-Hayford Scholarship, alongside a Special Recognition Award honouring the late Joe Casely-Hayford. Both initiatives pay tribute to his enduring legacy and pioneering contributions to fashion and culture.

The scholarship provides funding and support to a student of Black or mixed heritage who has received an offer for, or is currently enrolled in, an MA or BA programme at a British Fashion Council Colleges Council member university. It was established to support, celebrate, and spotlight emerging talent from Black and mixed heritage backgrounds as they begin their journey in the fashion industry. The scholarship celebrates Black British culture and its profound impact on shaping wider British culture.

Awarded students gain access to the BFC Scholars' Programme, alongside a series of industry events and workshops designed to support their creative and professional development. Through these initiatives, the British Fashion Council and Casely-Hayford are committed to investing in and future-proofing the next generation of creative talent.

How to apply: Visit the British Fashion Council for full eligibility criteria, application details, and key deadlines.

Discover the Joe Casely-Hayford MA Scholarship

Myra Labé's work, winner 2026/27

2026/27 BFC Foundation Joe Casely-Hayford MA Scholarship Recipient - Myra Labé

The BFC Joe Casely-Hayford Scholarship has named Myra Labé of UAL Central Saint Martins, BA Womenswear, as this year's recipient.

Born in Montréal and of Beninese heritage, Myra is a London-based fashion designer whose practice explores the complexities of identity and the lived experiences of Black diasporic women. Through contemporary garments, footwear, and accessories, her work challenges conventional perceptions and celebrates the multifaceted nature of Blackness, heritage, and belonging.

Drawing inspiration from poetry, music, and her own lived experiences, Myra's creative process combines introspective writing with artisanal techniques, including draping, tailoring, and weaving. Working with natural materials, she seeks to capture the beauty of everyday experiences and the intricate connections between culture, memory, and self-expression. Through her work, Myra hopes to communicate the many meanings of home and offer new perspectives on the identities and experiences of Black diasporic women.

Stella Efua Osei's work, winner 2025/26

2025/26 BFC Foundation Joe Casely-Hayford MA Scholarship Recipient - Stella Efua Osei

25/26 named Stella Efua Osei's of UAL Central Saint Martins, MA First Year as winner of the Scholarship. Stella's work is rooted in the layered identities of Black people across Ghana, Sweden, and London creating immersive textile environments that challenge stereotypes an present powerful reimagining of self. Influenced by traditional uses of Ankara and wax prints and their long lifespans in Ghanaian households, her work champions sustainability through cultural memory.

Though her professional experience began in hospitality, key moments, like amending sportswear with Rickard Lindqvist and working at Adidas, shaped her understanding of movement in design. Stella hopes to connect her creative work with broader cultural conversations, potentially launching a brand or working in film and costume. Her achievements include receiving the H&M Sustainability Award during her BA, and winning the IKEA sponsorshipproject, which led to showcasing her work in a pop-up store on Oxford Street.

Two models walking on a runway, one in a blue outfit and the other in a textured beige dress.

Runway Image left Timisola Shasanya and right Megan Alloh, winners 2024/25

2024/25 BFC Foundation Joe Casely-Hayford Scholarship Recipient - Megan Alloh and Nafisat Oluwatimisola Shasanya

Following the success of the MA Joe Casely-Hayford Scholarship, the BFC and Casely-Hayford extended their support for the 2024/25 academic year by providing funding and mentoring to two BA students. Megan Alloh and Nafisat Oluwatimisola Shasanya in their final year of study at UAL, Central Saint Martins.

Menswear graduate Timeisola’s work reflects her growing up between different cultures; her work is a reflection of that duality, drawing on personal history, memory, and heritage. Rooted in a dark, seductive vision of menswear, her practice weaves craft and storytelling into every garment, with a strong influence from her Nigerian background.

Megan’s work specialises in Fashion Design with Knitwear. Her work explores British culture through the lens of a first-generation Ghanaian immigrant, navigating the complexities, hybridity, and tensions of being both black and British. Playful in spirit and rich in texture, her designs draw from 1980s and 1990s men’s sportswear, while also referencing precolonial draping techniques, bridging the historical with contemporary through knitwear.

Taya Francis, winner 2023/24

2023/24 BFC Foundation Joe Casely-Hayford MA Scholarship Recipient - Taya Francis

The first recipient was Taya Francis of Nottingham Trent University. Knitwear designer Taya explores her British-Jamaican identity within her work, informed by her perspective as a third-generation Jamaican.

Grounded in personal and cultural heritage, the collection bridges the historical, social and aesthetic parallels between two distinct islands, Jamaica and the UK. This duality, formed by Francis' upbringing in Nottingham within a family of Windrush immigrants, offers a rich foundation for artistic and cultural exploration. The work is inspired by narratives deeply rooted in lineage while reflecting the lived experiences of diasporic communities.

Through the scholarship, Taya is provided access to the BFC scholars program and receives advice and mentoring from the Casely-Hayford family and team.