London —

When Laura Weir made her first speech as the British Fashion Council’s new CEO this summer, she put inclusivity at the heart of her mission. She addressed issues that have long been discussed among the city’s fashion designers: whether it is possible to run a viable brand if you don’t come from money.

A lack of funding in the creative industries following the UK’s exit from the EU in 2020, coupled with prohibitively expensive studio hire and the astronomical cost of putting on a catwalk show, are among the factors that have made it more challenging for working-class designers operating today. Those from ethnic minority backgrounds face even greater challenges due to systemic racism and the barriers that come with it.

Weir intends to reset British fashion, making it more acces

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