London might widely be considered the home of British fashion, but many of the UK’s most iconic designers hail from far beyond the M25. Vivienne Westwood (Tintwistle), Daniel Lee (Bradford), Paul Smith (Nottinghamshire), Zandra Rhodes (Chatham), Christopher Kane (North Lanarkshire), Jonathan Anderson (Magherafelt): the list goes on. Likewise, roughly 85% of Britain’s textile manufacturing takes place outside London. And yet, the city remains a make-or-break place for the industry’s designers. That’s great for Londoners; less so for the scores of creatives who live in other regions and struggle to gain access. ‘Too often, fashion has been a London-centric story,’ the British Fashion Council’s CEO Laura Weir said in a speech last autumn.

Now, Weir is working to change the narrative with the launch of Fashion Britain, a new initiative to foster a more connected, accessible and geographically diverse British fashion ecosystem. A nationwide series of events will take place this September — across Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle and Bristol — set to create opportunities for creatives to gain access to the world of fashion.

As part of the programming, ELLE UK is partnering with the BFC on its National Designer Panel Series, staging talks across the UK with designers who are local success stories, offering exclusive access for ELLE Collective members.

‘Fashion Britain will build a unified moment for participation. We want the public to see themselves in fashion, and to connect the nation to this potent, powerful and economically crucial industry,’ says Weir.

The programme launches as an increasing number of independent brands move operations outside the capital due to rising costs (84% of the nation’s fashion companies are currently based in the city) and local coalitions such as Fashion Alliance North, established last year at The Leeds School of Art, work to support rising designers and creatives.

Those leading the groundswell of support to shift focus beyond London point to increased access to education, healthier local economies, more sustainable supply chains, and meaningful diversity and inclusion.

‘It’s about creating an even playing field and recognising that there are fabulous designers and an industry outside London,’ says knitwear designer and Central Saint Martins lecturer Berni Yates.

Fashion Britain will give the public a preview of what a decentralised industry could look like. It will also highlight the parts of British fashion’s story that rarely get told: that there’s a whole world of talent and creativity across the nation – a new generation of future Vivienne Westwoods and Paul Smiths waiting to be seen.

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