London Fashion week, starting today, reminds us once more that UK fashion is having a golden global moment.
Currently, 70% of British based design turnover comes from overseas sales and fashion directly contributes nearly £21 billion to the UK economy (that's 1.7 per cent of total GDP!)
The UK is a hub of the creative industries. Our world class art and fashion colleges are drawing the best talent from around the world and many of the most talented designers stay to set up their own businesses here. This creates a pool of talent which is unique. British fashion designers are renowned for their creativity and innovative design, often working with new technology and fabrics.
As an international business specialist, I work with UKTI to support the whole of the UK clothing and footwear industry by highlighting opportunities for the sector overseas.
UKTI has a wide support programme geared towards export for young up and coming designers, as well as established heritage brands. I advise companies on the most suitable markets for their products and help them to find suitable agents or franchise across the globe.
A good example of this help is my next trade trip, to South Korea. The mission will give UK designers insight into the Korean market and they'll take part in a showcase which will be attended by over 100 fashion industry insiders, including buyers and agent/distributers.
Meanwhile, here are ten British based designers I'll be looking out during the next week, and I’m proud to say UKTI has helped every one of them:
Christopher Raeburn: Christopher’s re-appropriated military fabrics are sourced from all over Europe. They combine meticulous detail and practicality. His designs are especially popular in the Far East - Japan, China, Korea and the Philippines
Agi & Sam: Contemporary print based clothing by Agape Mdumulla and Sam Cotton. The duo are design leaders in menswear
J S Lee: Korean born Jackie JS LEE’s tailoring centres around sleek and chic androgynous pieces. Her minimalist collections are acclaimed in countries as diverse as Thailand, Russia and Dubai
Lucas Nascimento: London College of Fashion-trained Lucas Nascimento specialises in beautiful creative knitwear and leather for women. His exciting designs experiment with fabric technology, graphic prints and sculptural shapes
Matthew Miller: Matthew studied at the Royal College of Art, and his signature style is a mix of technological and traditional - performance fabrics, tailoring and sportswear.
Astrid Andersen: This Danish born designer creates luxury sportswear style for men. She is a true innovator, with a global following for her innovative approach to premium sportswear
Nasir Mazhar: A milliner by trade, from East London and with Turkish-Cypriot heritage, this designer is best known for his inventive approaches to sports caps and headwear
Marques Almeida: Marques Aalmeida is the London based womenswear label created by Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida. Both from Portugal, the duo specialise in ladies denim
Shaun Samson: This California-born British-trained menswear designer is influenced by the style of the west coast of the US, and his love for his American heritage
Sibling: Adored by fashion savvy types from Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, Sid Bryan, Joe Bates and Cozette McCreery come from Yorkshire, Leicester and London respectively. They're influenced by punk and pop-art graphics, and mutate classic,traditional knitwear designs into something that's all their own
UKTI can help your company prosper in overseas markets. Book an appointment with your local trade adviser online
1 comment
Comment by Janie Simpkins posted on
Yes, Britain has some excellent young designers making their way. I really like Marques Almeida for a glorious treat.