This morning, the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) unveiled the Creative Industries Sector Plan, an ambitious vision aiming to propel the UK’s creative industries from a value of £17 billion in 2023 to £31 billion by 2035. This decade-long strategy underscores a commitment to more than double government support targeted at the creative sector, with a particular spotlight on fashion—a vital sub-sector recognised for its cultural and economic importance.

The plan delineates a multifaceted approach designed to help creative businesses scale, expand their export capacity, and future-proof their operations without compromising their distinctive creative identities. Specifically, the fashion industry will see continued investment in the British Fashion Council’s (BFC) NEWGEN programme, which supports emerging UK designers by funding London Fashion Week showcases and offering tailored business mentoring. London Fashion Week will also receive dedicated government funding, affirming its status as a premier global platform for fashion innovation and trade.

Recognising the complex global supply chains that underpin fashion, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) plans to establish a new Supply Chain Centre. This initiative aims to map supply chain vulnerabilities and identify areas where strengthening domestic capabilities or diversifying imports could enhance resilience—an increasingly critical consideration in light of recent disruptions to international trade networks.

Beyond fashion-specific measures, the plan forms part of a broader government initiative to invigorate the entire creative economy. This includes substantially increasing support from the British Business Bank for creative industries through enhanced debt and equity financing options. Additionally, a new working group is set to address barriers to intellectual property (IP)-backed lending, facilitating better access to finance secured against creative IP assets. The government also intends to refresh the UK-wide £9 million creative careers service through a partnership with industry, aiming to build a stronger talent pipeline.

International trade remains a priority, with plans to increase the number of creative trade missions targeting established markets like the European Union and the United States, alongside rapid-growth regions such as the Asia-Pacific. Measures are also in place to elevate the protection of UK IP rights to a globally recognised gold standard, supporting the commercial interests of UK businesses domestically and abroad. Central to talent acquisition, a 10 Downing Street-led Global Talent Taskforce will work to enhance international talent attraction, notably making the Global Talent Visa more accessible to a broader range of design professionals.

Laura Weir, CEO of the British Fashion Council, welcomed the announcement, highlighting a recent conversation with Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, where fashion was affirmed as a personal priority for DCMS. Weir described the ongoing investment in NEWGEN and London Fashion Week as critical to providing emerging designers with the tools, mentorship, and exposure necessary to thrive on the world stage. She emphasised that fashion’s inclusion in the Creative Industries Sector Plan sends a powerful message about its cultural influence and economic value, while underscoring the UK’s role as a launching pad for visionary designers and creative enterprises.

This renewed government support follows complementary funding announcements, including a £2 million allocation specifically for NEWGEN to bolster emerging fashion talent through showcases at London Fashion Week and business development support. Similarly, London Fashion Week itself will receive a separate £2 million boost to facilitate the showcasing of new British designers over five fashion weeks across two years. These funds aim to amplify the visibility of UK fashion on the international stage and provide critical mentoring opportunities.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan sits within a wider government strategy to elevate the entire creative economy’s contribution. Alongside the ten-year projection to nearly double the sector’s value, the government has pledged £60 million in initial funding to turbocharge growth in creative businesses across diverse fields, including video games, music, and film. This marks a significant step in the broader ambition to grow the creative industries by £50 billion and create one million additional jobs by 2030, an effort involving close collaboration between government and industry stakeholders.

Looking ahead, the British Fashion Council is actively engaging with DCMS, DBT, the British Business Bank, and other key partners to track the delivery and impact of these initiatives. The council underscores the importance of maintaining a strong fashion voice within the creative industries investment framework to ensure that the sector’s vibrant creativity and economic performance continue to flourish in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

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Source: Noah Wire Services