'Made in Britain' is hottest label in fashion

Vogue magazine writer and Telegraph columnist Sarah Mower agrees that buying British is the ultimate in credibility. “Until fairly recently, the 'Made in Britain’ brand had connotations of something a bit tatty,” she says.

“Now there is a growing kudos to wearing a Scottish cashmere jumper or a proper Mackintosh.” She points to the demand for handbags and accessories from the fashion brand Mulberry.

“Mulberry has its 'Handmade in Somerset’ mark stamped on its most expensive bags – and for fashionable women from London to Shanghai, those are the bags they really want.” (The brand makes 60 per cent of its leather goods in Somerset.)

And it’s not just women who are choosing to buy British. “Men are also aspiring to have that whole British look, with the Savile Row suit and John Lobb shoes. People are getting fussier about where their clothes are made; buying British is an awareness that, like slow food and Fairtrade, will grow.”

Caryn Franklin, the fashion writer and broadcaster, also sees a shift. “For a long time, people were getting excited about binge-buying cheap clothes made on the other side of the world, but fast-fashion fatigue is setting in,” she says.

“We’re starting to remember that Britain once had a booming textiles industry, with some of the most skilled craftsmen in the world. Although to a lesser degree than 20 years ago, that quality is still out there and it is rekindling our love affair with clothes that are British-made.”

Both well-established and up-and-coming designers are responding to the trend.

“It’s definitely the key selling point for our clothes,” says James Shaw, co-founder and director of Albam, which uses factories in Nottingham, Leicester and Manchester to make most of its collection.

FrostFrench, the fashion house founded by actress Sadie Frost and her friend Jemima French, now makes 40 per cent of its collection in Britain, including many of the bestsellers at its new King’s Road shop in London.

Aquascutum, which makes most of its collection, including its raincoats and trenches, in Corby, Northamptonshire, is increasingly in demand from foreign buyers because of its quintessential Britishness.

“We stitch discreet 'Crafted in England’ labels on to our garments that are made in Corby, but our buyers in America, Russia and Japan have all asked us to make the labels bolder,” says Kim Winser, its president.

While the likes of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano have traditionally looked to French and Italian seamstresses to bring their designs to life, young British designers are finding ways to craft their collections here.

Christopher Kane, whose designs are a hit with Victoria Beckham and Kylie Minogue, uses Johnstons, the Scottish cashmere specialist, for all his knitwear. Kate Moss favourite Marios Schwab works with specialist dressmakers and factories in east London.

“There are skilled sewers and machinists working here who can give such individuality to a piece that you just can’t get in places like Italy or France,” he says.

“And this way, I can be in touch with the production lines, and see for myself the conditions and pay of the people I work with.”

This fashion revolution is also being driven by the hottest new accessory on the high street: a conscience. Last year, spending on “ethical” fashion increased by 79 per cent on the previous year, to £52 million.

A recent survey of 16- to 30‑year-olds by the online magazine Thread found that half wanted information on the working conditions of people manufacturing their clothes, and more than a third would like retailers to declare their “fashion miles”: the distance and form of transport used to get the item to the shop floor.

After 20 years of working as a fashion designer and buyer for high street stores, Anya Pearson had seen her fair share of sweatshops. They drove her to found Frank & Faith two years ago, a range of ethical clothing made in Britain and sourced from organic or sustainable fabrics.

“When I started out, I thought I was just catering for a niche market, but the demand for our clothes has been huge and we are now in boutiques all over the country,” she says. “People have woken up. They don’t want clothes made by children on the other side of the world with a massive carbon footprint – by buying British, they don’t have to. It is not a niche trend any more. 'Made in Britain’ has never been so fashionable.”