New British designers at odds with the monarch

The biggest names in British luxury are getting ready for King Charles’s coronation, from Burberry’s coronation scarf to rumours that Kate Middleton would be attending the service wearing Alexander McQueen. However, the event is divisive: this week, British fashion insiders extensively shared an Instagram post by activist and model Munroe Bergdorf denouncing the luxury of the coronation in light of the cost of living problem. It revealed a discussion on whether to take part in the festivities that was going on behind the surface of the UK business, particularly among younger designers.

According to Gen Z’s go-to fashion analyst, “Most of the designers I know have a fundamental ideological opposition to the idea of a hereditary monarchy, and as a result, aren’t interested in the financial incentive [of using it as a marketing moment].”

According to industry association New West End Company, the bank holiday weekend is expected to produce up to £50 million in revenue for London’s West End as domestic and foreign tourists swarm the UK city. The King’s coronation, a uniquely British occasion, “shows our capital at its very best,” according to Dee Corsi, chief executive of New West End Company. 

The coronation is viewed as a chance to interact with consumers, particularly in regions outside of the UK including the Middle East, the US, and China that are more receptive to royal content. Mark Fast, a self-employed knitwear designer who recently opened a shop in Hong Kong and has a sizable and expanding clientele in the Asia Pacific, says he hopes to expand his business in the region.

eagerly anticipates the coronation. “I have had several encounters with [the King], and I find him to be a very endearing individual. I’ll be celebrating at my friend’s house in Worcester, he says. “I’m excited to open more stores in [the Asia Pacific] region. As I travel and build the Mark Fast brand in Asia, it’s exciting to embrace the monarchy and carry that culture with me. 

The Prince of Wales’s Business & Sustainability Programme at Cambridge University and the Sustainable Markets Initiative, launched in 2020 to aid the private sector in accelerating sustainability, are two examples of how the monarchy supports sustainability initiatives, according to Patrick McDowell, founder of his namesake sustainable made-to-order brand.

In addition to his own dedication to altering the environment around sustainability and regenerative practices, the new King has pledged support to the cause of sustainable fashion, the author claims. “As always, it is crucial that anyone in a position of authority speaks out in favour of a better future, and I hope we can see that going forward from our new King.”

The coronation, according to several upcoming designers, feels tone-deaf. “We must pay our personnel and our debts. The fact that we’re seeing how much money is being put into the coronation is a little disheartening because we’re struggling and trying to come up with fresh ideas to keep the business running,” says Alicia Robinson, creative director and founder of technicolour.

AGR, a knitwear company, is from South London. She claims that the rising cost of living has forced her company to reduce workers and pay.