Fashion contributes more to UK GDP than the fishing, music, film and automotive industries combined. Yet, the fashion sector has not been widely considered an industry of national importance throughout Brexit and other trade negotiations. This is inexplicable and inexcusable.
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The UK has today secured a free agreement with Japan, which is the UK's first major trade deal as an independent trading nation.
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The COVID-19 crisis has seen us adopt the ‘make do and mend’ mentality our grandparents espoused in times of rationing— self-sufficiency is no longer a “woke” trend but a genuine need. When we finally find ourselves in a post-pandemic world, and are once again thinking about Brexit, it’s important to remember that the zero-waste approach must apply to people too— in all sectors.
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After a series of debates, meetings, headlines and speeches monitoring Theresa May’s progress in deciding the fate of Europe and the UK, the Prime Minister announced her resignation as Party Leader after three years in office on the 24th of May.
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"When we launched Fashion Roundtable the majority of politicians I spoke to thought the industry was just Kate Moss & catwalk shows and were more concerned about fisheries than fashion” Cincik says.“However after contacting each of the 650 MPs highlighting the reality of the UK Fashion Industry’s valuable contribution - generating over 890,000 jobs, nationwide and thousands of jobs and revenue to each of their constituencies - we're now seeing politicians from across the parties, uniting to ensure that our industry maintains its status as a global soft power leader for the economy.”
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Committed to carrying on business as usual from April 2019? As there is no agreement in place for continuing economic relations with the European Union, companies and entrepreneurs need to make their own contingencies to avoid delayed arrivals and extra costs. Being a mere six weeks away from exiting the UK’s most important trading market forced some to take action.
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The European Commission is waiting for a result, there are no more negotiating rounds planned, in fact the negotiating team has gone back to their usual, non-Brexit related tasks. While there have been reports that the EU would be willing to extend the Article 50 deadline beyond March 29, it is only possible if there is a request for such a step and additionally, a well rounded reason for the extension. The EU is waiting for the UK to identify a future path they want to follow. In the absence of such a plan or strategy, the Commission will not be extending the deadline.
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Intellectual Property (IP) protects a brand, but the panel quickly understood that it is not fully grasped by those who would benefit the most from it - sole traders, micro and SMEs. CEO and Founder of Fashion Roundtable, Tamara Cincik, said: “we have not yet grasped that IP is a brands reputation”. In fashion as well as in any other creative industry, IP is central to the success of the company or brand, which by its very nature is dependent on its unique image. The originality of a design is what makes it stand out as exceptional and desirable from other collections, and ultimately, what defines the brand. As part of the EU, brands showcasing their collections in the UK for the first time are protected under the unregistered design right. However, in the midst of Brexit, designers wanting to launch their collections in the UK will have to find other ways to protect their creations.
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This is what we at Fashion Roundtable will be advocating for post-Brexit: a UK fashion industry which continues to lead in the exciting space where craft, artisan and ethical FashionTech coalesce into a transparent and truly sustainable fashion industry. We have to ensure that leaving the EU does not mean deregulation. We need a future vision where the UK is not an isolated island drowning in a pool of plastic and instead showcase one where any plastic we do create is reused to make something relevant and long-lasting, be that a shoe, a sock, or even a red carpet dress.
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At first glance, politics and fashion are polar opposites, and political affairs may seem irrelevant to someone in the fashion industry, especially in the creative aspect of the sector. A designer or stylist might think they are removed from politics: except as Brexit shows, our previous freedom of movement for goods (textiles) and services (work in Europe) is a part of the on-going Brexit negotiations. Game of Thrones has been discussed in the Chamber (what you see on TV for PM’s Question Time where MPs vote) multiple times more than fashion.
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Our EU Expert, Eszter Kantor, provides us with the latest Brexit update including the European Commission’s publishing of Brexit preparedness notes and a roundup of what was discussed at Fashion Roundtable’s previous Brexit meeting.
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Fashion Roundtable took to the Sunday Papers Live stage at Citadel Festival on Sunday with a panel discussion #areyourepresented on ethnic representation in the fashion industry (currently at 9%). Karen Binns our Fashion Expert was joined by Frederica Boateng a fashion academic, Rahemur Rahman and menswear designer and celebrity stylist Karen Williams. Chaired by Tamara Cincik, the panel explored the concrete ceiling facing talent from diverse backgrounds across the fashion industry. With London now at 30% BAME residents and the rest of the UK at 13%, it is clearly a timely conversation. #areyourepresented will be at Wilderness Festival on 5th August for Sunday Papers Live with Dr Royce Mahawatte from Central Saint Martins, our Retail Expert Bev Malik, Rahemur Rahman and Isabella Silvers from Hearst Publishing.
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