The UK fashion industry is a significant economic driver, contributing £28.9bn in direct GVA and supporting a total of £67.5 billion, equivalent to 3.2% of UK GDP, or £1 in every £31 generated in the economy.
It directly employs 819,000 people (2.5% of the workforce) and supports over 1.4 million jobs in total, representing 4.4% of UK employment.
Government Relations
The British Fashion Council drives engagement at the crossroads of policy, creativity, and commerce to ensure the UK fashion industry has the necessary conditions to grow, compete, and lead on the world stage.
We advocate for the interests of designer businesses and fashion retailers, from emerging talents to global brands, by shaping policy, influencing regulation, and constructing the economic and cultural case for fashion at the highest levels of government in the UK and internationally.
Our work is centred on unlocking growth: enhancing access to finance, enabling exports, supporting talent pipelines, and ensuring that fashion businesses are regulation-ready.
Driving impact through government engagement
We work in close partnership with UK government departments to ensure that policy reflects the realities of a modern, design-led industry:
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS): positioning fashion as a core driver of the UK’s creative economy and cultural influence
- Department for Business and Trade (DBT): enabling international growth through export support, market access and investment and securing a strong domestic retail environment
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO): leveraging fashion as a tool of soft power and cultural diplomacy through global networks
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA): shaping sustainability frameworks that support both environmental progress and business resilience
Through this engagement, we promote practical, evidence-based solutions, from tax and retail policy to trade facilitation and regulatory reform, ensuring that fashion businesses can operate, grow, and succeed.
Representing British fashion on the global stage
We establish British fashion as a worldwide leader in creativity, innovation, and responsible business by actively engaging in international forums, including:
- European Fashion Alliance
- United Nations climate processes, including COP
- OECD discussions on the creative economy and sustainable growth
This international engagement guarantees that UK designers are not only represented but also influential in shaping the global frameworks that will define the future of fashion.
A seat at the table
The BFC represents the industry within key government and industry organisations, ensuring that fashion has a voice in decisions affecting its future.
- Creative Industries Council
- Creative Industries Trade and Investment Board
- Department for Business and Trade Advisory Groups
- GREAT Private Sector Council
- Creative UK
Through these platforms, we connect industry insight with policy development, bringing real-world business experience into government decision-making.
Backing the future of fashion
Our policy work is focused on long-term transformation. We are building the evidence base and partnerships needed to:
- Strengthen the UK’s position as a global hub for fashion design and innovation
- Support sustainable business models through the Institute of Positive Fashion
- Unlock growth opportunities for designer businesses across domestic and international markets
- Ensure that regulation supports creativity, competitiveness and responsible growth
We believe that when the right policy environment is in place, British fashion can deliver significant economic value alongside its global cultural impact.