In 2021 the British fashion industry was estimated to be worth a whopping £62.2 million. For context, that’s almost three times more than our native pharmaceutical industry. We may not have the historical trend-setting lineage of, say, the French, but for well over 50 years, Britain has been synonymous with cool and setting the trends. While there are some big players who contribute the largest portion to this enormous sector of our nation’s economy, I’ve noticed that there are more small and independent brands thriving than I’ve ever seen during my time working in publishing.
The step change could be down to multiple factors. Firstly, the way many of us consume fashion is changing and has been gradually shifting for some time now. We’ve been through the whirlwind of fashion fashion and come out wiser, dissatisfied and determined to improve our ways: yes, we’re left with an excess of clothes we didn’t wear and feel terribly guilty about but at least there are ways we can now increase a garment’s lifespan (hello, Depop and Vinted!) and the course can henceforth be corrected.
Secondly, the wider industry’s timelines and focuses have also updated. Although trends and microtrends do still exist, an emphasis on personal style, designer signatures and wardrobe investments that you can rewear time and again has come to the fore. In fact, it’s been at the core of what we do at Who What Wear for many years.
Tagged: Sustainability