Press Release: 14 Days Since Our Open Letter To The Government Calling For An Urgent Meeting About Brexit Impacts
Sarah Reygate, Make-Up Artist for the Fashion and Music Industry: “As with many of my colleagues, my work has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. A lot of work comes from Paris. If I now have to organise work contracts and visas for each trip I am likely to lose that work to local based talent in Paris. The Government needs to commit to frictionless work travel for all creatives for the UK based fashion and music industry to continue to be a world leading industry.”
16th February 2021
As London Fashion Week begins this week, the Fashion Industry still waits for a response from the Government to our open letter sent 14 days ago, asking for an urgent meeting to discuss Brexit impacts and the very real threat of business decimation.
The fashion industry united in signing our open letter with over 455 industry leader signatories urgently requesting a ministerial meeting 14 days ago. The Government is yet to respond. Media attention is turned to the fashion industry for the fashion week calendar, the silence from the Government is ever more worrying.
Our sector is at real risk of decimation by the Brexit trade deal and current Government policy. To reduce the negative impact to the industry, we are asking the Government to urgently meet so we can share solutions which will help save our industry before it is too late.
The fashion industry is the largest of the creative industries, making more than the automobile, film, music and pharmaceutical industries combined, contributing £35bn to UK GDP and employs almost 1 million people, which was growing 11% year on year, at 4 times the growth of other sectors. The DCMS Select Committee this week met with creatives from music and dance to discuss freedom of movement, but not from the fashion industry. We did send the DCMS Select Committee a briefing and request to give evidence. We urge that all creatives are treated and valued equally across all levels of government and parliament. To not hear from the largest of the creative industries is surely an omission? We note the Government’s £20m commitment to help the UK’s 6m SMEs with up to £2000 to support businesses; but this is not in line with the £23m to support the fishing industries 12,000 workforce (the same number of people as Debenhams employed for reference) with their EU exports. We are concerned by a clear prioritisation of one industry above another for reasons other than economic factors.
The UK fashion industry is largely composed of freelancers and SMEs. These creative innovators could be at the forefront of a post Brexit, post pandemic UK; but without Government reaction and support now, they simply won’t survive to help the UK build back better. This is why we call on the UK Government to respond to our open letter and work with us on solutions which will achieve this. We do not have 10 years to wait it out, we should not really have had 14 days. With London Fashion Week fast approaching and media attention upon us, we are still left waiting. This is not the time for inertia, or delays. A £35bn industry is waiting to hear from its government.
We asked some of the signatories to Fashion Roundtable’s Open Letter and #dontmakefashionhistory campaign who work as creatives and small business owners to share their concerns here. The UK fashion industry has over 59,000 SMEs, plus many more thousands of freelancers; these small to medium enterprises and growing freelancer numbers are the backbone of the thriving economy across the UK. But without the right support they are the most vulnerable, as they do not have the safety net of wide margins to buffer against negative financial impacts.
Sarah Reygate, Make-Up Artist for the Fashion and Music Industry: “As with many of my colleagues, my work has been deeply impacted by the pandemic. A lot of work comes from Paris. If I now have to organise work contracts and visas for each trip I am likely to lose that work to local based talent in Paris. The Government needs to commit to frictionless work travel for all creatives for the UK based fashion and music industry to continue to be a world leading industry.”
Deborah Latouche, CEO Sabirah: “I was asked recently if SABIRAH will survive Brexit and after thinking about it I realised that we didn’t just want to just survive we want to Thrive! The past year we have all been in survival mode due to the Covid crisis - All of the unnecessary red tape and costs need to be reconsidered as a matter or urgency to help the UK Fashion Industry thrive.”
Nadja Romain, CEO Everything I Want LTD: “As a small business it’s very hard if not impossible to deal on a daily basis, with the level of bureaucracy now involved in UK/EU trade. Not to mention angry customers who end up paying outrageous import taxes that we can’t even anticipate. Large businesses can absorb extra costs and paperwork a small company with less than 10 employees simply cannot. As a French citizen I came to the UK 15 years ago for the creativity combined with a flexibility that allows anyone with a good idea to create a thriving business. This is gone. As if politics has become more important than business. I am opening a branch of my business in Italy to access the EU market which remains the number one destination for luxury goods.”
Karen Binns, Fashion Director and Brand Consultant: “There is a huge fear for independent designers and brands about the high rise in cost to get their shipments coming in and going out abroad. This is the biggest threat to young and independently owned brands, as this is the sort of escalating costs and delays to market that can shut their businesses down completely.”
Tamara Cincik, CEO of Fashion Roundtable: “Silence is not golden, 14 days is 13 days too long to wait for a government commitment to meet with us and our signatories. I have even offered to arrange this meeting for them, all they would need to do is commit to dialling in. A webinar which was not widely circulated or known about by our 890,00 fashion workforce is simply not enough support or mitigate against the tsunami of challenges this complex and vast sector faces. I have more than twice urged DCMS to allow us at Fashion Roundtable to also offer stakeholders a webinar, to ensure information in this challenging time is accessed by as many stakeholders as possible, as well as this urgently needed sector-facing roundtable meeting.
Surely a £35bn industry is worth an hour of their time? We have London Fashion Week around the corner, a time when the world’s media is shining a light on our brilliant talent, yet my inbox is filled with stories of brands relocating, or stopping their direct to EU consumer (B2C) sales, due to escalating Brexit costs. The music industry, the acting industry, the dance industry, the arts, creative and design industry are all in alignment and we all feel overlooked and undervalued. We echo the points made by other creatives and are in solidarity with those organisations who are sharing their concerns. We are committed to offering solutions so we can find a way out of this mess and implore the Government to commit to meeting with us very soon. What is a country without creativity and innovation at the heart of its DNA?”
Note to Editors
Background
Fashion Roundtable’s Open Letter, signed by over 455 signatories, was presented to the Government on Tuesday 2nd February. A follow-up letter was sent Tuesday 9th February and again on Tuesday 16th February. All three letters request that we can organise an urgent roundtable meeting with the relevant Ministers for the fashion industry in the coming days, to work together and create solutions which will help save our industry.
The Open Letter has received cross-party parliamentary support, with signatories including Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey, John McNally MP, Martyn Docherty-Hughes MP, Lord Cashman CBE, Lord Foster of Bath, Earl of Clancarty, Baroness Bonham-Carter and Lord Taylor of Warwick.
The letter has also gained the support of industry leaders across manufacturing, retail, modelling, creative business, education, brands and journalism.
Signatories include Dame Vivienne Westwood DBE (Vivienne Westwood), Jenny Holloway (Fashion Enter), Paul Barnes (Association of International Retail), Kate Hills (Make It British), Jane Shepherdson CBE (MyWardrobe HQ), Caroline Issa (Tank), John Horner (Models 1), Carole White (Premier), Nick Knight OBE (SHOWstudio), Zowie Broach (RCA), ASBCI, Patrick Grant (E.Tautz and BBC’s Sewing Bee), Camilla Lowther OBE (CLM), Bethany Williams, Phoebe English, Professor Dilys Williams (Centre of Sustainable Fashion UAL), Helen Brocklebank (Walpole), Fashion Revolution, Laura Bailey (Model and British Vogue), Dame Twiggy Lawson DBE (model), Katharine Hamnett CBE (Katharine Hamnett), Sarah Mower MBE (Vogue Runway and British Fashion Council), Julian Vogel (Modus BPCM), Ruth Chapman OBE (Matchesfashion), Isabel Ettedgui (Connolly), Yasmin Le Bon (Model), Roksanda Ilincic (Roksanda), Juergen Teller (Photographer), Jess Mcguire-Dudley (John Smedley), Sarah Coonan (Liberty), Justin Thornton (Preen), Andrea Thompson (Marie Claire), Jane Bruton (Telegraph) and Jefferson Hack (Dazed Media Group).
The Open Letter can be found here: https://www.fashionroundtable.co.uk/openletter
The template letter to your MP can be found here.
About Fashion Roundtable
Fashion Roundtable is the only fashion think tank that sits between the fashion industry and policy leaders: Front Row to Front Bench
We are secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Textiles and Fashion chaired by Dr Lisa Cameron MP, with members including Dame Eleanor Laing, Lord Taylor of Warwick, John McNally MP and Baron Vaizey of Didcot.
Fashion Roundtable are also the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, co-chaired by Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey and Catherine West MP.
Tamara Cincik, Founder & CEO of Fashion Roundtable has over 20 years’ experience in the fashion industry and has also worked in parliament. Since launching Fashion Roundtable, Tamara has spoken publicly on fashion and politics with a range of high-profile business press including SKY TV, BBC, CGTN, Telegraph, Financial Times, Times, Guardian, New York Times, Liberation, Stern, Vogue Business and Business of Fashion.
For more information please contact:
Press Release: The Fashion Industry calls on the Government to meet urgently and discuss solutions to help save our industry.
Helen Brocklebank, CEO, Walpole: “Prior to the pandemic, the British luxury sector was in rude health with a value of £48bn to the UK economy and strong annual growth of nearly 10%. Very much a British success story, the sector supported more than 160,000 jobs throughout the UK. However, international visitors to the UK are a crucial revenue driver, and the last 11 months has put severe pressure on their businesses. On top of the pandemic, the eleventh hour Brexit deal has compounded the sector's problems, making chances of swift recovery for British luxury recede compared to their European counterparts. With 42% of all British luxury export sales coming from the EU, the costs and administrative burdens of trading in continental Europe mean many of our members, not least the SME's, have concluded they simply can’t afford to continue selling to those countries.
Monday 1st February 2021
Fashion industry fears for future over consequences of Brexit trade deal
The Fashion Industry calls on the Government to meet urgently and discuss solutions to help save our industry.
The fashion industry contributes £35bn to UK GDP and employs almost 1 million people, but is at real risk of decimation by the Brexit trade deal and current Government policy.
The UK fashion industry is facing several critical issues, which without urgent attention these issues will jeopardise the immediate and long term future of the sector.
Ours is a thriving industry, based on global leadership, complex supply chains and above all a deeply interconnected relationship with our overseas colleagues. To survive post-Brexit and safeguard our future, we need to ensure we can trade with overseas businesses and are also supported to grow the internal market.
Following an industry-wide meeting held on Wednesday 20th January 2021, brought together by Fashion Roundtable, the industry has highlighted the key issues, impacts and unforeseen consequences of Brexit in an Open Letter to the Government, with a call to action.
We are asking the Government to meet so we can create solutions which will help save our industry.
This letter, signed by 451 signatories, will be presented to the Government tomorrow morning, asking that we can sit at an urgent roundtable meeting with the relevant Ministers for the fashion industry in the coming weeks, to work together and create solutions which will help save our industry.
The Open Letter has received cross-party parliamentary support, with signatories including Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey, John McNally MP, Martyn Docherty-Hughes MP, Lord Cashman CBE, Lord Foster of Bath, Earl of Clancarty, Baroness Bonham-Carter and Lord Taylor of Warwick.
The letter has also gained the support of industry leaders across manufacturing, retail, modelling, creative business, education, brands and journalism. Signatories include Jenny Holloway (Fashion Enter), Paul Barnes (Association of International Retail), Kate Hills (Make It British), Jane Shepherdson CBE (MyWardrobe HQ), Caroline Issa (Tank), John Horner (Models 1), Carole White (Premier), Nick Knight OBE (SHOWstudio), Zowie Broach (RCA), Camilla Lowther OBE (CLM), Bethany Williams, Phoebe English,
Professor Dilys Williams (Centre of Sustainable Fashion UAL), Helen Brocklebank (Walpole), Fashion Revolution, Laura Bailey (Model and British Vogue), Dame Twiggy Lawson DBE, Katharine Hamnett CBE, Sarah Mower MBE (Vogue Runway and British Fashion Council), Ruth Chapman OBE (Matchesfashion), Isabel Ettedgui (Connolly), Yasmin Le Bon (Model), Roksanda Ilincic (Roksanda), Juergen Teller (Photographer), Jess Mcguire-Dudley (John Smedley), Sarah Coonan (Liberty), Justin Thornton (Preen), Andrea Thompson (Marie Claire), Jane Bruton (Telegraph) and Jefferson Hack (Dazed Media Group).
Jefferson Hack, Dazed Media Group: “Everyone who cares about the future of Britain economically or the future wellbeing of our youth needs to understand what's at stake if our fashion and textiles industry is trashed because politicians won't look at the paperwork and get ink on their fingers. How can they stand by and watch something built over generations collapse when they have the power to make a difference? Now is the time to act to save British Fashion, culture and livelihoods."
Isabel Ettedgui, Connolly: “Connolly’s home is off Savile Row, but our horizon has always been international, and especially European. Our leather was on the first Rolls Royce and is now on the latest Ferrari. We sell Scottish cashmere but we manufacture our leather goods in a small town in Spain where all the top luxury brands manufacture - because we cannot find the skills to make the goods anymore in the United Kingdom, although the leather is sourced, where possible in this country. It is this dialogue between our island and our neighbours abroad that has shaped who we are. The sadness, the lack of goodwill and the red tape we are now experiencing as a Brexit trading outpost, the financial ramifications of creating barriers with our major trading partner and also the loss of their skills; will be devastating and the result could be the possible closure of a 185-year-old company that holds the Royal Warrant.”
Katharine Hamnett CBE: “We need a radical overhaul of customs arrangements including VAT on all goods shipped into the EU by the end of February, or British brands will die.”
Michelle Noel, MNN Agency: "The fashion industry is having its creative bones fractured by the implementation of Brexit. The emotional and financial impact has been immediate & damaging, to my consultancy practice and to my network of UK & EU clients. Brexit has eroded any slither of confidence in UK governance and highlighted the disdain & insufficient support for thousands of fashion businesses”.
Helen Brocklebank, CEO, Walpole: “Prior to the pandemic, the British luxury sector was in rude health with a value of £48bn to the UK economy and strong annual growth of nearly 10%. Very much a British success story, the sector supported more than 160,000 jobs throughout the UK. However, international visitors to the UK are a crucial revenue driver, and the last 11 months has put severe pressure on their businesses. On top of the pandemic, the eleventh hour Brexit deal has compounded the sector's problems, making chances of swift recovery for British luxury recede compared to their European counterparts. With 42% of all British luxury export sales coming from the EU, the costs and administrative burdens of trading in continental Europe mean many of our members, not least the SME's, have concluded they simply can’t afford to continue selling to those countries.
Before the pandemic, the UK/EU deal would have created exceptional difficulties for Walpole members. On top of the pandemic, its impact puts an unconscionable pressure on businesses who should be given every priority to be a calling card for Global Britain. Our luxury brands sell Britain to the world, exemplifying British craftsmanship, innovation and heritage, and their continued success is imperative if Britain is to maintain its reputation in the global marketplace. This is really not the time to inflict additional damage on British luxury. Our businesses are resilient, and they will work to navigate the challenges, however, now is the time for the Government to step up to the mark and support the sector with a set of very tailored measures if we are to bounce back swiftly.”
Yasmin Le Bon, Model: "It is crucial not only for people in our business but crucial for the welfare of the UK economy that all people in the creative and fashion industries can travel freely within the EU. I have been working continually in this industry for the past 37 years, it works in a very particular way, with jobs being confirmed literally at the last minute. I may get a call, make a decision and be at the airport within 2 hours ready to fly to Madrid, Milan or Miami! The wealth of these creative industries is in our ability to move and change quickly. This is our future, we can not be stuck back in the dark ages or we will be left behind. Up until now, we have been at the forefront. These are crucial negotiations, the fashion business is huge, and every piece of the jigsaw supports each other, we rarely speak up for ourselves for fear of seeming uncool, but this is about more, it’s about hundreds of thousands of jobs that may potentially be lost. You may think that fashion is all about frou-frou skirts and polka dot ties, but it is about so much more. From the designers not just of fashion and accessories, but all the machining for all the hardware, the craftsmanship of the manufacturers, the creativity and artistry of the marketing and advertising tribes, all the wily, resilient retailers, who have been hit so hard by this pandemic. For once we need to be listened to and for the Government to work with us before it is too late."
Tamara Cincik, CEO Fashion Roundtable: “In the fashion industry, everyone wants to "make fashion history": it is a deeply competitive, hardworking and successful sector, generating over £35bn and almost 1m jobs in the UK. Pre-pandemic it was growing 11% year on year. But there is a real risk of it being utterly decimated from the gaps in the Brexit trade deal and UK Government policy, which across each area of the sector: manufacturing, retail, creative, education, is severely impacting on all levels of the business from SMEs to multinationals and in the coming months will destroy the fashion industry in the UK, removing any hope for us to build back better. From the decision to end the VAT Retail Export Scheme, to the decision to not add garment workers to the Shortage Occupation List for visas, while not lining up the necessary T-Levels to train UK domicile garment workers until September 2023, or the extra costs and delays of Brexit red tape to our largest market, the EU and the very real risk of a brain drain, as the UK becomes increasingly unsustainable for our world-leading fashion talent to stay here.
Everywhere I look across our complex, innovative and highly successful UK fashion industry, I see perfect storms and tsunamis unless we act. Fashion Roundtable are about solutions: we have them and urge the Government to engage, listen and act upon them now.
You cannot attract the brightest and the best from overseas, if the talent we already have in the UK cannot stay here for the good of their livelihoods and careers, or you do not shore up the workforce to support a more sustainable, transparent manufacturing sector.
We urge the Government to meet with us, listen to our concerns and policy solutions, so we can ensure the long term viability of the UK fashion industry, which we have all worked so hard to make the success story it is. We want the fashion industry to continue to thrive as a key contributor to GDP and the jobs market in years to come.
We urge the Government to hear us and act: don't make fashion history.”
Note to Editors
Background
The deal done with the EU has a gaping hole where promised free movement for goods and services for all creatives, including the fashion and textiles sector, should be. The fashion and textiles industry is the largest component of the previously thriving UK creative industries, growing 11% annually, bringing vital jobs and innovation to the UK. We contribute more to UK GDP than fishing, music, film, pharma and motor industries combined. Yet we have been disregarded in this deal and our concerns overlooked in current policy decisions. This has significantly impacted our opportunity to build back better and grow our onshoring manufacturing, digital innovation and sustainable design and technology in the UK, where we now, more than ever, have the real chance to show global leadership.
The full letter can be found here https://www.fashionroundtable.co.uk/openletter
About Fashion Roundtable
Fashion Roundtable is the only fashion think tank that sits between the fashion industry and policy leaders; Front Row to Front Bench
We are secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Textiles and Fashion chaired by Dr Lisa Cameron MP, with members including Dame Eleanor Laing, Lord Taylor of Warwick, John McNally MP and Baron Vaizey of Didcot.
Fashion Roundtable are also the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion, co-chaired by Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey and Catherine West MP.
Tamara Cincik, Founder & CEO Fashion Roundtable has over 20 years’ experience in the fashion industry and has also worked in parliament for Sharon Hodgson MP. Since launching Fashion Roundtable, Tamara has spoken publicly on fashion and politics with a range of high-profile business press including SKY TV, BBC, Telegraph, Vogue Business and Business of Fashion.
For more information please contact: