Dedicated followers of fashion

Fashion is big business in the UK, and not just in London. The industry contributes £26 billion to the economy and supports 797,000 jobs. This success is not only due to the creativity of the country’s designers, but also to the independent boutiques that recognise this talent and make it accessible to customers. Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council (BFC), takes us on a tour of her top shopping spots

Cricket, Liverpool

Cricket is run by Justine Mills, a woman with an incredible eye for fashion and a great supporter of British designers. Cricket tends to focus on high glamour, which very much taps into the culture of Liverpool. She loves a bit of Roksanda Ilincic, McQ, Matthew Williamson and Jonathan Saunders.

Factory outlets

There are some really high-quality factory outlets across the UK, including the Harris Tweed mills in the Outer Hebrides and the Mulberry Factory Shop in Somerset. Mulberry supports so many jobs in the area, and the outlet is a fantastic opportunity to make the brand accessible for everyone who lives locally.

Hervia, Manchester

Todd Lynn and Holly Fulton have done very well at Hervia. The boutique has also helped the BFC by mentoring designers such as Sophie Hulme, holding evenings in store to help them focus on the local customer and think of ways their collections could be sold and merchandised to appeal to a specific audience.

Bicester Village, Oxfordshire

We collaborate with Bicester Village on an annual pop-up store called the British Designers’ Collective. It showcases designers, such as Mary Katrantzou, who are lesser known than the big global brands you see in Bicester. You can pick up great pieces of jewellery and sunglasses at accessible price points. Definitely worth going to find coveted catwalk pieces.

Garment Quarter, Bristol

The Garment Quarter is really into British fashion and stock labels such as Vivienne Westwood and Victoria Beckham. They feature a range of main and diffusion lines, as well as individual pieces from the catwalk – and they have a great eye for what will work in their locale.

Jane Davidson, Edinburgh

A mecca for all of the fashion lovers of Edinburgh, Jane Davidson stocks everything from Lily and Lionel to Temperley. Edinburgh is a very sophisticated city, with a strong cultural identity and a thriving fashion scene. Jane stocks a range of dressy and more contemporary brands to suit the style of the city.

London

While London is famous for its department stores, we also have great independent boutiques. Dover Street Market is well known for its individuality, but Matches, Browns and Start are also great supporters of British fashion and have helped many start-ups.

Caroline Rush