A new report, has explored Manchester’s growing influence in the digital industry.
Speaking to experts from a number of independent brands, and Manchester-based fashion giant Boohoo.com, digital recruitment specialist Forward Role they have explored what prompted a city that was once known as ‘Cottonopolis’ to transform into a modern hub for online fashion driven by digital.
The North, and particularly cities like Manchester, has experienced significant growth over the past few years. A report commissioned by Oxford Economics, entitled ‘Beyond the City’, showed that Manchester had seen a sharp upturn in job creation between 2010 to June 2015. It was also predicted that Manchester would outperform some of the world’s top cities, including Berlin, Paris and Tokyo, for jobs growth over the next five years.
The report delves into the city’s historic roots in fashion and whether it could ever overtake London as the online fashion capital of the UK.
Certainly says Jay Kitchen from Fordward Role
From trendy independent stores in the Northern Quarter to multi-million pound online brands that have based themselves in the North West, Manchester is fast becoming the place to be for fashion. A lot of work is being done to narrow the gap between the economies in the North and South, and this is only going to make the former an even more attractive place for fashion-conscious entrepreneurs to set up shop.
who adds that Manchester has come a long way since the days of cotton mills and warehouses. Whilst the city is no longer famous for producing and trading in textiles, it has now earned itself a much bigger reputation as a huge player in the world’s fashion scene.
Katrina Urwin, founder and owner of Manchester-based jewellery store Hoochie Mama, believes that it is this incredible variety that makes Manchester such a wonderful city for fashion entrepreneurs:
“Manchester is a great place to set up your brand. We have a great community vibe up here because the city centre is quite compact and the fashion industry is close knit. It’s got quite the village feel at times whilst also being edgy, lively and cosmopolitan. I moved to Manchester for the disco and fashion. We have such a vibrant music scene up here and the rich musical heritage spans more than just the Hacienda and Oasis. I think historically that marriage between music and fashion has inspired many Northern designers.”
Manchester doesn’t always get the recognition that it deserves, says Jay.
“Whilst we would expect Paris to dominate as the global fashion capital, it was surprising and a little disheartening not to see Manchester on Global Language Monitor’s annual survey, which saw other cities such as Krakow, Florence and Antwerp ranking amongst the 56.
But this is already starting to change and Amanda Moss took inspiration from the capital in order to start Manchester’s very own Fashion Week, helping to give Manchester the recognition that it truly deserves. This five-day event, dedicated entirely to showcasing fashion in the North West, gives designers large and small from the local area the chance to see their creations brought to life on the catwalk.”
Meanwhile the sheer diversity on the streets of Manchester shows how the North West’s independent fashion industry is thriving. But there is growing evidence that the region’s digital industry is also growing at pace. There are a number of huge online fashion brands choosing Manchester as their home as opposed to London, and they are starting to really dominate the world wide web.
One of these powerhouses is Boohoo.com, which found its feet in one of Manchester’s most well-known districts. It has become one of the biggest employers in the area; helping to boost the city’s economy and working closely with the local talent.
Katie Curran from Boohoo.com told us how proud they are to call Manchester their home:
“Boohoo.com was originally born out of a successful wholesale business called Pinstripe, which was based where our HQ is now located in the heart of the Northern Quarter. This has remained our home ever since and we are proud to be such a big employer in the area. In more recent years we acquired our warehouse in Burnley, which in August 2015, saw investment and extension that delivered 270,000 additional square feet, delivering a vast amount of new job opportunities.
“Our business is global so the reality is we could be based anywhere, but Manchester and Burnley are our home and we intend to stay.”
Steve Thompson, Managing Director of Forward Role, commented:
“Over the past few years, Manchester has proven that it’s a vibrant city, able to stand on its own two feet and thrive. Its tremendous growth in the fashion industry proves this. Our report explores what has prompted a city that was once known as ‘Cottonopolis’ to transform into a modern hub for fashion driven by digital, where designers seeking jobs or a place to start their own brand now flock to. Manchester has so much going for it; a good economy, a rich history, fantastic job prospects, and we believe great things lie ahead for the city. People and businesses with years of heritage in the sector are looking at the likes of Boohoo.com and their £600k flotation and thinking, if they can do it, why can’t we? It’s extremely exciting to be part of!”
As for the future, it’s clear that digital is on the rise in the world of fashion. As people become more comfortable with buying clothes that they haven’t seen in person or tried on, online fashion sales will continue to increase every year. In February 2016, online clothing sales showed an increase of 22% year-on-year, which was the biggest growth seen since June 2013.
As Jay sums up
Manchester truly is an up-and-coming place to be for those looking for a future in fashion. Those who have their sights set on a career in this industry, whether it’s starting your own business like so many of our designers, should not feel like they have to move all the way to London just to pursue big opportunities.
