The UK election saw a resounding victory for Labour. The Conservative administration was overthrown by Keir Starmer’s Labour party in a landslide general election victory that saw them win 412 seats out of a potential 650. The UK now has a new prime minister and ruling party. After 14 years under the right-wing Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak for the last 20 months, it is the beginning of a new era for the nation.
According to Labour, ensuring economic stability through well-defined tax and spending policies is one of its key concerns. One of the pertinent promises pertaining to fashion, beauty, and retail is the replacement of England’s business rates system, which critics claim penalizes businesses who have physical storefronts. But it’s still unclear whether the incoming administration will bring back VAT-free shopping, and there are concerns about how it will address a number of other significant problems that the sector is experiencing.
Members of the British beauty and fashion communities are reacting as follows.
The creator of the concept store Machine-A for fashion, Stavros Karelis
This historic Labour Party triumph, in my opinion, highlights the urgent need for change. The incoming prime minister will have a lot on his plate, particularly given the challenging economic and political climate of the moment. I sincerely hope that they would give tax-free shopping for visitors top priority. This policy nearly ruined many retailers and had a disastrous effect on our operations.
Being a Greek living in the UK for over 15 years, I sincerely hope that the incoming government will try to reconsider how they can address a number of the problems brought about by Brexit, like enabling unrestricted travel for people and goods within the EU and bolstering ties with other EU nations financially. In addition to providing freedom and safeguarding gender identity laws, I hope Labour would assist fashion and arts education, as well as young people and other vulnerable parts of our society who are struggling with the current cost of living crisis.
Fashion Roundtable’s CEO and founder, Tamara Cincik The UK election saw a resounding victory for Labour.
It’s wonderful to see that the new administration has made creativity a major policy priority and that STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education will once again be included in state school curricula in England, as it is in Scotland and Wales. The STEM education program, which gave the arts less priority, has severely reduced the talents we need in the fashion industry. One important commitment we must hold Labour to is their support of the creative industries as an economic engine. We must make sure they understand that fashion represents more than half of the value of the creative industries as a whole and is honored in any future policy promises.
(Fashion Roundtable’s “Sector Vision” offers further information about the think tank’s recommendations for the government, which include improved protections for garment workers, unrestricted travel and employment for talent from the UK and Europe, and increased support for on-shoring.)
Chinazo Ufodiama, co-host of the podcast “Unpretty,” and a fashion PR
I’m not holding out much hope for significant changes. I believe that the one possible change I may hope for is the return to VAT-free purchasing, as it is a business and economic necessity that this new Labour Party is in line with. I believe it will be extremely difficult to persuade the leadership to give environmental legislation first priority. It is evident where the Labour Party’s priorities are as they previously supported Shein’s UK IPO plans prior to the election. The fashion industry needs a stronger coalition of representation led by individuals who have actual influence and a true grasp of the sector’s concerns. That is my biggest lesson from all the pre-election chatter. It doesn’t appear as though we have that in any case.
Founder of the London-based clothing and accessory brand Arcs, Alice Carvill
I’m hoping that interest rates will drop, the economy stabilizes, and Labour will reinstate tax-free shopping. The retailers I work with in the UK have seen a significant decline in sales as a result, which has an effect on the brands that supply them. I’m expecting Labour will encourage small firms with an import tax as well as provide a threshold for lower percent taxation up to a specific amount. Additionally, I’m hopeful Labour will bring back a few of the small business grants. Small business funding from the UK Fashion and Textile Association were discontinued by the Conservatives.
Daniel Gayle, the British brand Denzilpatrick’s creator and designer
At Denzilpatrick, we communicate with people both locally and increasingly abroad using the language of British sartorialism. This depends on having excellent relations with the EU and having a continuous flow of products, services, and materials. These connections have been threatened since Brexit. Labour’s promise to “reset the relationship” with Europe, lowering economic obstacles while simultaneously reinstating confidence in the UK as a worldwide center of culture, gives us hope. At home, we are also encouraged by the manifesto’s goal of building a “clean energy superpower,” which would compel all UK companies to adopt more environmentally friendly procedures and assist up-and-coming companies like Denzilpatrick in leading by example.
Lastly, Labour’s recognition of the “huge potential in creative industries” gives us hope that many people, not just a chosen few, may eventually aspire to work in this profession. We believe that having representation from all facets of British culture on the international scene is essential.
Founder and creative director of PR and brand-building firm Raven, Sophie Jewes
Since I mostly work with independent designers, small firms, and freelance creatives, I am aware of how many people have felt as though they have been sentenced to life in prison during the past 14 years of Conservative misrule. This government has an absurd lot of work ahead of it, but while we’re enjoying the post-result warmth, it seems nice to imagine going back to the glory days of London’s hyper-creativity. We are aware that this is who we are and that for the past fifteen years, this idea—or truth—has been severely suppressed. My artistic colleagues are worn out; there are some deep scars that need time to heal. Among Labour’s most consoling campaign promises have been those regarding the rights of freelancers.
The Labour manifesto makes some poetic, if vague, references to bolstering the high street, but it’s unclear exactly what the “replacement system” for business rates entails. I can’t think of a clearer example of a legislative no-brainer than the return of tax-free shopping. Starmer should hopefully see an open goal.
What is especially deafening is Labour’s relative silence on environmental legislation [in the fashion industry]. It’s almost horrifying. Seeing where fashion fits into the larger scheme to establish the UK as a “clean energy superpower” will be interesting. While being bold and holding fast fashion accountable seems like a sure thing, the Green Party’s “make polluters pay” position was more on point.
CEO of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, Adam Mansell
The government should immediately reinstate a UK VAT-refund program and restore export support for businesses, as these two measures would greatly assist the industry. In the long run, the sector requires the government to help it transition to a more circular economy by establishing an EPR program for apparel and textiles and contributing to the construction of a national infrastructure for textile recycling.
Labour needs to deliver on its campaign promises to reform apprenticeship finance and, more generally, to change the education system in order to facilitate the recruitment of fresh talent. Furthermore, we want the government to alter public procurement regulations to force public entities like the NHS, emergency services, and military to spend a portion of their budgets on UK-made goods, thus giving much-needed support to UK manufacturers. Encouraging this wonderful, creative sector will boost GDP, generate new jobs, increase sales, and eventually result in more tax collections for the government.
The creative director of British fragrance company Ruth Mastenbroek Fragrances is Nic Mastenbroek.
We are excited about a Labour government that has promised to enable young people from all backgrounds to have the opportunities they deserve, regardless of where they were born. As one of the few independent and family-run perfumery brands from the UK, we believe in removing barriers to working in the perfume industry.
The Unseen’s creative director and founder of the material innovation research organization is Lauren Bowker
By promoting international collaborations for sustainable discoveries and solutions and investing in small enterprises headquartered in the UK, I hope this new government remembers to serve not just the people of the UK but also the world. To restore Britain’s position as a global leader in innovation, we must make investments in our educational system and create development possibilities.
