What we'd like to see in tomorrow's Spring budget for fashion and textiles

Tomorrow marks the announcement of the Spring Budget and what many anticipate to be the last fiscal event before the general election, which we’re pegging for Autumn. As such, this might be the final opportunity for the Conservatives to set policies prior to an election.

After collating both qualitative and quantitative data over recent months, in time to share our Sector Vision in Parliament, we have been advocating for a number of sector recommendations which we have presented cross-party.

Our recommendations encompass many facets of the sector from farming through to academia and are focused on the long-term, however there are two recommendations that we’d like to see taken up immediately in tomorrow’s budget.

Click through for more.

Photo: Photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash. Image of Westminster buildings.

2024, 2023Tamara CincikMarch 5, 2024VAT Retail Export Scheme, Tax Incentives, Spring Budget 2024

Op:Ed – Is Regenerative Fashion Possible?

Designer Harriet Fletcher-Gilhuys attended last week’s Conduit event: ‘Is Regenerative Fashion Possible?’ supported by the Farmer’s Footprint. Here she delves into the complexities and explores the panellists discussion exploring the transition to a fashion system that ultimately sets out to benefit nature and society.

Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash. Image shows farmer at work.

2024, 2023Tamara CincikMarch 5, 2024Regenerative fashion, natural dye, British wool, Fibre sovereignty

Delivering a Sector Vision for the Fashion and Textile industry

On the 22nd February 2024, Fashion Roundtable as Secretariat of the Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion All-Party Parliamentary Group delivered their sector vision for the fashion, textiles, manufacturing and retail industries to leading figures in the sector.

John McNally MP and Fashion Roundtable’s CEO, Tamara Cincik, chaired a poignant panel discussion about the future of the sector. Panellists included, Junior Bishop – a Zebedee Model and Advocate for Minority Groups; Clare Press – Fashion Roundtable’s Global Sustainability Expert, Author and Podcast Host of the Wardrobe Crisis; Julia Roebuck – Volunteer Director of Thread Republic (Mend Assembly Affiliate); Maria Chenoweth – Co-founder of Charity Super.Mkt; Dominique Muller from Labour Behind the Label.

Talking points encompassed representation and inclusion; the effects of Artificial Intelligence on the modelling sector; the Creative Wellbeing Economy; Clare Press’s research on reimagining the sector; social prescribing and third-sector initiatives; the purposeful use of vacant spaces with the example of Charity Super.Mkt and worker rights.

Tamara CincikFebruary 27, 2024

Fashion Roundtable as Secretariat of the Ethics and Sustainability All-Party Parliamentary Group brings leading figures in fashion together to discuss its future

On the 22nd February 2024, Fashion Roundtable as Secretariat of the Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion All-Party Parliamentary Group delivered their sector vision for the fashion, textiles, manufacturing and retail industries to leading figures in the sector. Click through for more.

Why boutique owner Amanda Slattery has called it quits after 18 years in the fashion sector

Amanda Slattery has been in the fashion business for 18 years, yet this year will mark her last year in bricks and mortar retail. During this time as a small business owner, Amanda has manoeuvred and endured her way through recessions, the rise of fast fashion, the ‘near’ death of the high street, a pandemic and Brexit.

What follows is a candid conversation about why Amanda is leaving the industry on her terms and what lies ahead.

2024Tamara CincikFebruary 13, 2024Brexit & Fashion, Legislation, Forward Order, SME, Covid, Fast Fashion

Will the government U-turn on the VAT Retail Export Scheme?

After holding two key roundtables last week, we discuss one of the key findings being the effect of the end to the UK’s VAT Retail Export Scheme.

The unilateral decisions by the UK Government to end the lucrative VAT Retail Export Scheme, which Sylvie Freund-Pickavance cited as having the potential to generate £10bn in terms of sales, hospitality and tourism, was cited as a missed opportunity. This is something that Fashion Roundtable have been consistently lobbying on.

Click through for more.

Make it British and Fashion Roundtable host industry roundtable with Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter and the Liberal Democrat Creative Network on the impacts of Brexit on the fashion sector

On the 31st January 2024, Fashion Roundtable along with Make it British, hosted an industry-focused roundtable discussion with Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter – the Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson for Culture Media and Sport, as well as the Liberal Democrat Creative Network and the Liberal Democrat DCMS Parliamentary Group.

The purpose of the roundtable was to discuss the main challenges that post-Brexit agreements were posing to the British fashion sector, providing an opportunity for the top-line issues of Brexit to be heard.

Press Release: Leading figures from UK Fashion attend Roundtable with Labour’s Shadow minister at the Design Museum

On the 30th January 2024, Fashion Roundtable, along with Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital, Sir Chris Bryant, hosted a roundtable with the Parliamentary Labour Party where industry leaders outlined the opportunities and challenges faced by the British fashion sector.

Disability designer Victoria Jenkins creates adaptive ballet costume for disabled dancer’s first Sadler’s Wells Performance

Disability advocate Victoria Jenkins, the creative force behind adaptive fashion brand Unhidden and Fashion Roundtable’s Representation and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair, has announced a transformative collaboration with icandance, a London-based charity that empowers disabled children and young people through dance and performance.

Victoria has over 14 years of experience in the fashion industry and starred on Channel 4’s Unique Boutique – a must-watch where inclusive fashion lovers and designers created bespoke outfits for every-body. Now, the visionary designer has created a bespoke ballet costume for 18-year-old wheelchair-using dancer, Denecia Allen. Denecia will wear the dress to perform with English National Ballet’s Alice Bellini at the Empower In Motion Gala at Sadler’s Wells in February.

2023Tamara CincikJanuary 30, 2024Victoria Jenkins, Adaptive Fashion, Adaptive Ballet Costume, Unhidden, icandance

Clare Press’s brilliant new book is just the positive reimagining of the fashion sector we need for 2024!

Some of you may know Clare Press as the bestselling author of the Wardrobe Crisis, or the presenter of the much-loved podcast of the same name. Others remember her as the first ever VOGUE Sustainability Editor for Vogue Australia back in 2018. To us, Clare is best-known as our vibrant and seriously knowledgeable Global Sustainability Expert.

Clare introduces us to fascinating innovators around the globe who are redesigning fashion from the ground up, and changing it in the most fundamental ways.

Click through for more.

Reimagining Luxury: the new book offering a practical guide for brands seeking authentic sustainability

Thriving in a sustainable future means that brands must navigate this changing terrain and take into account these legislations in forecasting and future business strategies. Perhaps poignantly, scrutiny will not only come from governments and regulators, but also stakeholders, consumers and competitor brands, as we collectively move from climate targets to climate transitional plans.

In her book, Reimagining Luxury, author Diana Verde Nieto offers practical frameworks and concrete examples for brands, through a holistic approach – covering topics such as sustainable investments; regenerative practices; legislation; environmental and social implications; as well as positive storytelling.

2024Tamara CincikJanuary 16, 2024Reimagining Fashion, Diana Verde Nieto, Sustainable, Brands, Legislation, Frameworks, Innovation

A new year, a new Government?

The start of a new year and already there are the familiar rumbles of a General Election. The feelings of general unrest seem to be growing, amidst a time of climate anxiety, global boiling, economic upheaval, and broken or overburdened support systems. Resulting in an increase in the polarity between surviving and thriving, with a lack of long-term strategy around our collective wellbeing.

Last year, we released our Creative Wellbeing Economy paper, where we made a case for a deeper, more long term reconnection with core values across the whole of our lives, with a particular focus being wellbeing for people and planet.

Read on for more.

Photo by Florian GIORGIO on Unsplash. Photo shows the Houses of Parliament.

Tamara Cincik attends Highgrove House to celebrate British craft and heritage

On Friday our CEO Tamara Cincik was invited to the King's Foundation Celebrating Craft at Highgrove House in Tetbury, for a Christmas event in the presence of His Majesty the King. The King's Foundation is a charity launched by the King as a vehicle to train the next generation of skilled craftspeople – including in fashion and textiles – in heritage techniques valuable to many traditional UK industries.

J W Anderson wins Designer of the Year at last night's fashion awards

Last night J W Anderson took home ‘Designer of the Year’ award at the British Fashion Council ‘Fashion Awards 2023.’

Of course Anderson wasn’t the only one to take home an award last night, Sarah Burton who took on the mantle after Alexander McQueen passed, was honoured with a special achievement award for her 13 years as Creative Director. She has left a very large gap in the role of women as Creative Directors in the fashion sector.

Sarah Mower was also awarded a special recognition award for championing young designer talent. Her dedication to New Gen talent in all forms has been game-changing for so many and something which Anderson acknowledged in his speech.

Finally, Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful OBE, received the Trailblazer Award for his contribution to the fashion industry.

The latest book connecting provenance with fashion

Alice V Robinson is a designer based in London and is the co-founder of British Pasture Leather. Her journey began through the process of making a handbag, whilst studying her MA in Accessory Design at the Royal College of Art.

On realising the lack of connection between agriculture and fashion and the convoluted supply chain she was faced with, Alice embarked on a journey of extraordinary lengths to make a connection and discover the provenance story of British leather.

Provenance is often ubiquitous with food, but doesn’t always connect with fibre in the same way. In writing her book ‘Field Fork Fashion’ Alice purposefully makes this connection, whilst working at a smaller scale with regenerative farming practices.

Through this interview, Meg Pirie and Alice discovered many thematic similarities between Fashion Roundtable’s work on regenerating British wool and Alice’s discoveries while working with leather as a medium.

It's our Anniversary! From Dumfries House to Parliament, we share a week of disrupting the status-quo in fashion

This week has been a whirlwind, and has seen our CEO, Tamara Cincik travel across the country – quite literally – from Manchester for a DCMS event with Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport – Lucy Frazer, and then on to Scotland and London.

In Scotland, Tamara attended Dumfries House and spoke at the King’s Foundation (formerly Prince’s Foundation) x the Fashion Council Germany conference entitled ‘Disruption’ which was this year supported by TENCEL™, eBay and The PVH Foundation. The King’s Foundation's Future Textiles initiative is designed to breathe new life into a renowned British textiles industry. Back to London, we then hosted one of our largest events on localism in Parliament, in our capacity as Secretariat of the Ethics and Sustainability All-Party Parliamentary Group. Click through for more.

Image shows our CEO Tamara Cincik in a red dress in a panel discussion at Dumfries House. Image credits Eleanor Kelly @mastrelli.media

Musings on the €1 million bag

The news of Pharrell William’s Louis Vuitton $1 million bag dubbed ‘Millionaire Speedy’ has gone viral.

Sold via a made-to-order basis, the newly released bag, replaces the generally used cotton canvas for crocodile leather, embellished with gold hardware and diamonds.

Pharrell was spotted at Paris Fashion Week recently donning a yellow version of the bag. Pharrell was appointed Creative Director in February 2023, and this direction nods to a louder trajectory than even the late Creative Director Virgil Abloh’s street influences for Louis Vuitton.

The press has been split since news of the bag surfaced, from excitement to criticism and offers an antithesis to ‘quiet luxury’, something which in fact might be labelled as ‘loud luxury’. Click through for more.

Photo by Julie Ricard on Unsplash. Image shows a brick wall with the message, ‘Until Debt, Tear Us Apart, graffiti on.

BBC Panorama accuses Boohoo of breaking promises

Last night an exposé by BBC Panorama aired probing the practices of fast-fashion giant Boohoo, who last year made a reported £1.7bn worth of sales. The majority of the filming occurred in their Manchester headquarters, where journalist Emma Lowther spent 10 weeks.

The evidence garnered showed increasing pressure to cut prices in order to save money and the unscrupulous practice of amending prices after the stock had already been made. Lowther exposed a number of occasions where suppliers were left out of pocket due to discounts being applied which were not initially agreed.

We unpick the evidence.

Zebedee: The Inclusive Talent Agency taking the fashion sector by storm

Zebedee is an inclusive talent agency, championing disabled, visibly different, non-binary, and trans UK models. Global names already signed by Zebedee include Ellie Goldstein, who recently made the cover of British Vogue and Jasroop Kaur Singh who appeared in the Australia Vogue ‘Vogue Vanguard’ issue.

Zebedee was established by co-founders Laura and Zoe in 2017 as a direct response to the lack of representation and inclusivity in the media. Now Channel 4 has created an insightful documentary series with the working title, ‘New Model Agency’ which follows Zebedee HQ and many of their diverse and dynamic cast of models. The documentary will air in February 2024 around London Fashion Week – so watch this space!

Meg Pirie speaks with co-founder Laura Winson who also sits on our Representation and Inclusion Committee. They talk about the progress Laura feels has been made in the fashion sector; what still needs to happen; and the spending power of disabled people – which is thought to be around £280 billion pounds every year in the UK alone and £1.3 trillion worldwide; and the fact that if brands don’t get on board, they’ll soon be left behind.

2023_2Tamara CincikOctober 30, 2023Representation, Inclusion, Zebedee, Ellie Goldstein, Vogue, Laura Winson, Meg Pirie

Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style

Nicholas Diamond-Krendel, co-founder of Luxury Leather Goods Brand Paradise Row reviews Fashion City - the latest exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands, which is about how Jewish Londoners shaped global style. In the process, Nick connects to the precious oral testimony of what will be the last generation to have known these brands first hand. Unlike so many of their family members left behind, the likes of Sophie Rabin, Netty Spiegel, Peggy Lewis, Otto Lucas and so many more will now be given their rightful place alongside more familiar names in the annals of British fashion.

2023_2Tamara CincikOctober 24, 2023Fashion City, Museum of London, Paradise Row, Exhibition, Nicholas Diamond Krendel

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