Fashion Roundtable

🔗 Have you seen our latest newsletter? https://shorturl.at/EHASZ

🌍 This week’s edition features a strong call to action for unity as we experience unrest across the UK. Fashion Roundtable has always stood for representation and inclusion across the fashion industry and beyond and we call on everyone to remember that our strength as creatives and as a country lies in our diversity.

👩‍🏭 We also dive into what the UK’s shrinking manufacturing industry means for fashion, and reflect on Labour's first month in power.

🎤 There’s also info on upcoming events, including Sustainable Fashion Week and Bath Fashion Festival.

✨ We’ll be taking a break from our newsletter for the next 2 weeks to breathe some new life into our content, but don’t worry, we’ll be back on the 20th!

📰 We’d love to hear from you, leave a comment below with your thoughts from this week’s newsletter!

Just as we reported in last week's newsletter

‘Deeply concerning’: Vampire’s Wife closure shows battle faced by independent British fashion brands Collapse of Matchesfashion platform is major factor in implosion across the supply chain, say industry insiders

Have a lot to say, but not on the voting register yet. With a snap General Election now set for July the 4th, if you aren’t registered to vote in the UK but are eligible and over 18, please note the deadline is generally 12 working days before polling day. It will take you less time than making a cup of tea.
Use it or lose it!
Use this link:
www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Newsletter alert: link in bio for our latest which goes out every Tuesday.
Learn about our week in parliament, events, updates and more.
📸 of at where last week we hosted an APPG meeting chaired by looking at greenwashing claims with speakers including the Rt. Hon Philip Dunne MP chair of the Environment Audit Committee, and

Come join us on Friday 2-4pm at the where from will be part of this panel talk hosted by .williams - entrance is FREE - what’s not to like and they have added a few more tickets so get them while you can!

was interviewed for article on France’s fast fashion ban.
What do you think?
Is this a French (luxury) first policy coming from the French government?
Is this going to help consumers?
Will the ban work?
What do you think?
Please leave your comments and polling below.
- will it work?

Newsletter day red alert : from hearing firsthand from and about the worrying latest trend coming from when French customs officers interrogated and fined showrooms.is this the future for post Brexit business?

To attending the opening night of Icons of British Fashion exhibition - a total must see in the most beautiful of locations. Showing many pieces from the which we at are currently working with via
link in bio to read all about it and to sign up for our weekly news drop.

newsletter day: link in our bio to read all our latest news, events and content.
It opens with our annual Value of Fashion map where we drill into the .gov.uk data to look at the value the UK fashion textile retail and creative economies bring to UK FDP.
Fashion plays a key role in the UK economy. Textiles manufacturing and craft are interwoven in the heritage of our four nations. Fashion can bring valuable work, shows, and exhibitions to a city or area, attracting wide ranging numbers from local, and further afield. Mention the likes of Paris, Milan or New York to anyone (no fashion interest experience or knowledge needed) and they can recognise the importance that fashion has had in solidifying their economic footholds. Digging deeper than the superficial surface of these cities and their relationship with fashion, then, is the key, and holds all the answers needed to understand how fashion can support economic development.

Our Value of Fashion Maps highlight how the industry is faring across the country, how it is developing as consumption habits change and how with the right support fashion can thrive. We can see key business statistics for the fashion industry across the UK, based on ONS figures.

The latest data reveals interesting insights into the resilience of the fashion industry within the UK. In 2022, amidst economic instability, the sector experienced a temporary setback as the number of businesses, employees, and turnover dipped compared to 2021 figures. However, things got better in 2023, with numbers increasing again. When we compare this to how the UK economy is doing overall, it gives an intriguing narrative. The fashion industry’s recovery in 2023 suggests a potential resilience and adaptability not shared uniformly across all sectors. This resilience might be attributed to the sector’s capacity for innovation, consumer demand dynamics, and the agility of its workforce. Understanding these patterns helps us see how important the fashion industry is for the UK economy. design

NEWSLETTER ALERT: Tuesday is always newsletter day!
Read all about Fashion, image and AI, a fantastic op-ed by

Plus who spoke to us last week for her .standard article on why UK fashion and manufacturing deserve the same investment as Uk film and HETV (make all or part of a film here and you get a tax incentive).

Plus nab your tickets to see the show on Biba - the brand who led the way in democratising UK fashion and Kensington High Street.

Links in bio to read the newsletter and to sign up so you never miss out.

Last week we spoke to Fashion Director at the .standard about the Budget’s lack of focus or support for the UK fashion industry: not a single mention while film and HETV got more tax incentives - just imagine if UK made fashion and even public procurement was similarly supported.
Instead is looking at how can be listed on the London not New York stock exchange. As Victoria says; “But Jeremy Hunt does have his eye on the fashion prize. He’s currently aiming to woo hyper-fast fashion megalith SHEIN to a London IPO (with a potential value of £90b) over New York. While it would be a boost to the beleaguered stock market after Brexit, the governmental paean to the Chinese retail giant is a kick in the teeth to UK-based fashion businesses.”

The UK is at real risk of focusing on short term value gains rather than long term environmental impacts - the lack of the same due diligence being shown in France and the EU as a whole means we have a real danger of not only falling behind on policies which as the EU implements them - hello EPR - UK businesses will face penalties as they export to what is still our largest and closest trading partner. And we have not even covered off the unilateral Uk decision to now bring back VAT free shopping - costing the UK over £10bn a year according CEBR

Head to the .standard for the link in their bio to read all about it!

International Women’s Day 2024 countdown checklist.
Women are providingimg 23.2bn hours of unpaid childcare worth an estimated £382bn to the UK economy - half of UK working age women are giving 45 hours of unpaid care work a week.
According to .gov.uk in April 2023 the gender pay gap was at 7.7% for those in full times work, 14.3% for all employees, while median pay for disabled women was 10.5% less than non disabled women in 2021. state that women of colour consistently earn less per hour with pay gaps ranging from 10% for Indian women to 28% for Pakistani women. Black girls they cite are twice as likely to be permanently excluded compared to white girls in schools. The in 2023 ranks the UK as 15th out of 146 countries for gender parity with its score going down and according to the WEF it will take 169 years to close the global economic participation and opportunity gender gap.
The gender pay gap widens for over 40s and reaches its peak when women reach their 50s .
reports that women’s pensions globally are 25/30% lower then men’s. Conclusions: we don’t need an international women’s day, we need a systemic and radical overhaul of a system which inculcates division and so many not smashing glass ceilings.

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.

Click through for more.

Delivering a Sector Vision for the Fashion and Textile industry Image: Panellists and Chair from left to right: Junior Bishop, Clare Press, Tamara Cincik, Chair John McNally MP, Dominique Muller, Julia Roebuck, Maria Chenoweth. Credit Steve Watson. On the 22nd February 2024, Fashion Roundtable as Secretariat of the

This London Fashion Week is significant as we celebrate its 40th Anniversary. Originally started by Lynne Franks, who was the inspiration behind Eddie’s character on Ab Fab, fashion week and the legends who have shaped it and who have built it, have placed Britain on the map as one of the global leaders in talent. As our CEO Tamara Cincik said: “Fashion shapes culture, and culture is power. Nothing soft about it.”

What follows is a visual diary of fashion week from the front row by Tamara, our Fashion Director Karen Binns and our Global Sustainability Expert Clare Press through her recent book launch at the Conduit.

To bookend the week, Tamara was on a panel with Stavros Karelis, Maliha Shoaib, Martyn Roberts, chaired by Giorgia Cantarini for SHOWstudio discussing Dilara Findikoglu’s A/W 24 womenswear collection.

Click through for more:

https://open.substack.com/pub/fashionroundtable/p/a-visual-diary-of-london-fashion?r=2c4dv6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

A visual diary of London Fashion Week from the front row This London Fashion Week is significant as we celebrate its 40th Anniversary. Originally started by Lynne Franks, who was the inspiration behind Eddie’s character on Ab Fab, fashion week and the legends who have shaped it and who have built it, have placed Britain on the map as one of the global l...

Over on Substack

Fashion Roundtable has met with industry leaders from the fashion sector who outlined the dire need for urgent action for the British fashion sector, which was at one time the fastest growing creative industry in the United Kingdom.

We have also engaged stakeholders in a Snap Survey aimed at including voices throughout the sector from design through to distribution, academia, retail, creative, manufacturing, business and NGOs.

This data has provided a strong overview of the current landscape for UK-based manufacturers and the key challenges and proposed solutions to support the sector to lead on sustainability, social justice, increased social mobility for working-class children, and increased revenue for UK GDP.

The purpose of this data catch is to compile our key recommendations for the creative and fashion sector in the form of a manifesto which we will be launching as a sector vision in Parliament on the 22nd February in our capacity as secretariat of the Ethics and Sustainability in Fashion APPG. This is by invitation only, but please do get in touch if you’d like to attend, by clicking via the link below.

Fashion Roundtable has identified a myriad of recommendations, which are proposed to be looked at in greater detail. Please get in touch if you would like to shape these in any way.

PLUS we also feature:

Details for an In Conversation event with Clare Press in support of her new book 'Wear Next' in collaboration with the National Centre for Fashion and Sustainability at Bath Spa University on Tuesday 20th February at 5:30pm. Tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/locksbrook-road/locksbrook-campus-the-street/in-conversation-with-clare-press/2024-02-20/17:30/t-rpgavkv?direct-booking=&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Spotted in ELLE UK - our Fashion Director - Karen Binns. Her life in fashion is vibrant, bold and legendary. Make sure to get your copy of Elle this month and read more!

The Lilac Review: Victoria Jenkins, founder of Unhidden to level-up disabled entrepreneurship - click through for more!

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

Delivering a new sector vision for the fashion sector Image shows our CEO Tamara Cincik hosting a roundtable discussion at the Design Museum. Credit: Steve Watson. Fashion Roundtable has met with industry leaders from the fashion sector who outlined the dire need for urgent action for the British fashion sector, which was at one time the fastest growin...

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

Last week, we hosted two roundtables for the fashion and textiles sector. The first, was with Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital, Sir Chris Bryant where industry leaders outlined the opportunities and challenges faced by the British fashion sector.

The second roundtable was facilitated with the support of Make it British as well as 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 in the House of Lords.

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.

One of the key findings from both roundtables, was that the unilateral decisions by the UK Government to end the lucrative , which Sylvie Freund-Pickavance cited as having the potential to generate £10bn in terms of sales, hospitality and tourism, was a missed opportunity.

This is something that Fashion Roundtable have been consistently lobbying on.

The decision to scrap the VAT Retail Export Scheme and tax-free shopping concession was a governmental decision that was made in 2020. The decision to reinstate the scheme was once again dropped in 2022 by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt. This decision has cost many British brands and retailers who rely on affluent international visitors and was a factor in Mulberry’s decision to close its iconic Bond Street store.

This week, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has ordered the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to review the costings of these policies which will be published alongside the Spring Budget on the 6th March.

We’d love to hear what you think. Have your say below.

Will the government U-turn on the VAT Retail Export Scheme? Image shows Sylvie Freund-Pickavance discussing the impacts of the removal of the UK VAT Retail Export Scheme on the British economy. Last week, we hosted two roundtables for the fashion and textiles sector. The first, was with Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital,

From manifesto to adaptive ballet costumes and AI concerns – we cover it all!

We kick this week off by hosting two roundtables for the textiles and fashion sector. The first with the Shadow Labour Culture Team and the second with the Liberal Democrats House of Lords team.

Over the summer we collated our own manifesto based on data, meetings and insights from fashion stakeholders which we have turned into key asks and perhaps more poignantly, solutions.

Click through to find out more on our key policy areas and focus.

Plus more on:

➡ Victoria Jenkins, founder of Unhidden creates ballet costume for disabled dancer’s first Sadler’s Wells Performance

➡ The endemic misogyny faced by by women in the music industry

➡ Our fashion director Karen Binns and Nasir Mazhar on the State of Fashion for SHOWstudio

➡ Models and AI concerns

⬇

https://open.substack.com/pub/fashionroundtable/p/from-manifesto-to-adaptive-ballet?r=2c4dv6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

From manifesto to adaptive ballet costumes and AI concerns – we cover it all! We kick this week off by hosting two roundtables for the textiles and fashion sector. The first with the Shadow Labour Culture Team and the second with the Liberal Democrats House of Lords team. Over the summer we collated our own manifesto based on data, meetings and insights from fashion stakehold...

NEWSLETTER ALERT:

Some of you know may know Clare Press as the bestselling author of the , 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.

This January, her latest book has finally hit UK book stores and what a book it is! To add to her already wonderfully engaging authored books (Wardrobe Crisis & Rise and Resist, How to Change the World) – this time, Clare reimagines the future of fashion. And it’s just the positive reimagining of the future of the fashion sector that we need!

What will you be wearing tomorrow? Will your jacket have been grown in a lab, or your jeans coloured using bacteria? Will we still have shops? What does the future of work look like for the people who make our garments?

Wear Next, Fashioning the Future presents a crystal ball look into tomorrow’s wardrobe, imagining 16 scenarios likely to shape our fashion futures, from conscious, fair, slow and upcycled to biointelligent and digital.

We all know that the current fashion system is wasteful, environmentally harmful and exploitative. If we carry on as we do now, it could account for a quarter of global emissions by 2050. Now it’s time for solutions. They already exist! Creative thinkers are dreaming up new ways to craft our sartorial identities that don’t wreck the planet.

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.

://https://lnkd.in/eitjzdJf

Thames & Hudson Australia

Clare Press’s brilliant new book is just the positive reimagining of the fashion sector we need for 2024! Image shows Clare Press in a pink dress, sitting at a table. 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 2...

Fashion is at a crossroads – brands can either chose to continue with a business-as-usual mindset or embrace and transform their models for a better future.

While many may chose to continue with the status quo, legislation is coming, with Europe leading the way. The Council of the European Union direction towards corporate sustainability due diligence directive, which aims to enhance the protection of the environment and human rights, as well as the European Commission new regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles, are now in full swing.

The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles presents a new approach, to implement commitments made under the European Green Deal, the new Circular Economy Action Plan and the Industrial Strategy, aims to create a greener, more competitive and resilient sector.

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.

Insights from LVMH, L’Oréal and Kering offer a pragmatic lens, alongside the practical advice on navigating the changing landscape of sustainability and innovation.

The book focuses on “positive social and nature-related outcomes […] that better the economic wellbeing of societies […]. This is about using the business muscle and innovation budgets to create long-term benefits for people and our planet.”

A must-read for any brand focused on embracing sustainable innovation as a catalyst for change.

Click through for more...

WE ALSO COVER:

> Brexit has cost the UK £140 billion reveals new report by Cambridge Econometrics
> Climate Change Committee's Chris Stark to step down
> The BBC Panorama reports Boohoo may close Thurmaston Lane
> The Environmental Audit Committee response from Minister on fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture
> Heritage Crafts and The Costume Society launch new training bursaries in fashion textile skills

Reimagining Luxury: the new book offering a practical guide for brands seeking authentic sustainability Image shows the author Diana Verde Nieto sitting with crossed arms at a wooden table. Fashion is at a crossroads – brands can either chose to continue with a business-as-usual mindset or embrace and transform their models for a better future.

For this week's newsletter we broach the subject of '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.

We delve into why to embed the benefits of a wellbeing economy requires incentives that focus on the social as well as economic benefits of, for instance, design for longer product lifetime, reuse and repair, extended producer responsibility, and consumer education. The research around the wellbeing economy and placing creativity as central to this methodology is at odds with the current political system, but offers us an opportunity to develop a roadmap which reframes the narrative toward a more regenerative, purpose driven and community minded economy.

Click through for more...

We also cover:

< The new report by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) urging the Government to act with urgency towards the UK’s part in global deforestation.

< Why Clare Press's new book is just the positive reimagining of the fashion industry we need for 2024! And how to pre-order.

< How to have your say on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) public consultation around ratifying the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

< More on the British Sign Language GCSE which is set to be rolled out in September 2025

< The Department for Business and Trade has announced its ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards’ for 2024.

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 betwe...

Our final newsletter of the year covers more on COP28 and our focus on fashion as a tool for change in the New Year!

By its very nature, fashion is a transformative tool. Yes, it goes some way to prop up the ‘growth-growth-growth’ and linear paradigm, but there are also many that are already working sustainably in the sector and this needs to be our focus.

Whether this is a focus on localism with brands such as Herd founded by Ruth Rands working within a 150 mile radius; or those focused on provenance like designer Alice V Rands and her collection for the V&A and subsequent book ‘Field Fork Fashion’.

This year we’ve interviewed a number of fashion advocates, from Alden Wicker about her uncovering the toxicity of fashion and her book ‘To Dye For’ to Rachel Arthur and her authorship of the ‘The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook’ for the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). To Vintage-Queen-Powerhouse Bay Garnett on her revolutionary campaign with Oxfam and new book; as well as inclusion and adaptive fashion specialist Victoria Jenkins who founded Unhidden.

Our podcast has been full with inspiration and transformative individuals affecting change within our wonderful sector. You can listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/front-row-to-front-bench-podcast/id1536644526

WE ARE HOSTING CLARE PRESS'S LONDON BOOK LAUNCH IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CONDUIT IN FEBRUARY

Neatly segueing into someone who is the epitome of positive transformation in the fashion industry, Clare Press our Global Sustainability Editor, will launch her new book ‘Wear Next, Fashioning the Future’ in February.

Wear Next invites readers to explore 16 thought-provoking scenarios that envision the future of fashion, spanning from slowed down, upcycled and community-based to fast-paced and AI-enabled, from local to global, regenerative & bio-intelligent.

It poses the question — “What kind of fashion future do YOU want to be part of?”

This delves into inspiring stories, groundbreaking ideas, and interviews with changemakers who are shaping the future of our industry.

In collaboration with the Conduit we will be celebrating the UK launch in February. This will be by invitation only.

Keep an eye out on social for your chance to win a signed copy of Clare’s new book.

Click through for more!

Why COP 28 has increased our climate anxiety and what we're focused on for the NY Video shows the words climate anxiety in pink, against a moving white thread, with the words ‘let’s talk about’. Fashion Roundtable's Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

For this week's newsletter, our CEO Tamara Cincik writes about her recent visit to the The King's Foundation Celebrating Graft at Highgrove House in the presence of His Majesty the King.

We also cover more on:

- How CHANEL took over Manchester's Norther Quarter for its annual Métiers d'art Event
- The Environmental Audit Committee launches: Environmental change and food security report
- Co-legislators have reach a provisional agreement on the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
- Job opportunities at Oxfam Central UK
- Our latest podcast episode #20 with Charlie Porter

Our CEO attended Highgrove House to celebrate British craft and heritage Image shows His Majesty the King meeting attendees of the Highgrove House event. Story by Tamara Cincik On Friday I 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....

Last night J W Anderson took home the coveted 'Designer of the Year' Award at the British Fashion Council Fashion Awards 2023.

Other winners included Sarah Burton for her 13-year tenure as Creative Director at Alexander McQueen, Sarah Mower for her dedication to New Gen talent in all forms, as well as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful OBE, who received the Trailblazer Award for his contribution to the fashion industry.

We also cover:

- King Charles III moving speech at COP28
- Our latest report on Creative Wellbeing Economy
- Our CEO Tamara Cincik interviews fashion critic and curator Charlie Porter on his latest book with Penguin Random House

Click through for more.

J W Anderson wins Designer of the Year at last night's fashion awards A birds-eye view of last night’s Fashion Awards By Meg Pirie Last night J W Anderson took home ‘Designer of the Year’ award at the British Fashion Council ‘Fashion Awards 2023.’ The first time J W Anderson