Reinvent British manufacturing: Designer Katharine Hamnett

"In the 1980s no-one knew there was anything wrong with the fashion industry. That has changed now, a lot of brands are changing, but a lot aren’t. Brands are unwilling because it puts up their costs. But consumer power is forcing the issue now. My overall solution is to insist on the same standards from goods outside the EU as the standards set inside the EU or they aren’t allowed in. It would create a level playing field, help clean up the environment, would mean the same health and safety and labour standards, and also make the EU more competitive," said Hamnett.

She added that more needs to be done to re-industrialise the UK citing that our natural resources, renewable energy and embracing new technology could make Britain great again.

"We can start again as a manufacturing country. We need to start from scratch but do it completely sustainably, change the old business model and unnecessary profit making. But this must come from the top, it is the responsibility of the CEO’s and boards of directors to make the changes. Businesses need to be arm-wrestled by legislation, we’ve had 30 years of choice and now we need laws," added Hamnett.

Katharine’s talk closed first day of London’s largest festival fashion which saw the launch of the Conscious Fashion Campaign installation from the UN Office for partnerships and the continuation of Pure London’s growing Power of One movement to drive individual actions to achieve collective change in the fashion industry. (RR)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India