Asos to fund UK manufacturing apprenticeships

In the past weeks, FashionUnited, has brought you stories about fashion industry big hitters calling for manufacturing to return to the UK and the success of some of Britain’s top design talents putting together thousands-of-pounds

creations just doors from their homes. Local manufacturing is regaining a yesteryear prestige.

Now news has come that the UK’s biggest online retailer, Asos, are making big strides to improve homegrown manufacturing skills. Asos will fund the UK’s first National apprenticeship in Fashion and Textiles, linking with Fashion Enter, which was set up in North London last year and now produces 50,000 garments for Asos a week, including complex designs such as a 3D-textured Asos dress.

Devising the initiative are two industry insiders, Caren Downie, merchandising director at Asos and Jenny Holloway of Fashion Enter, a not for profit organisation to provide employment and training for young aspiring fashion types.

The chosen apprentices will work between the Regents Park Asos headquarters and the Fashion Enter factory, where capacity is set to double by the end of the year. Sector Skills Council for Creative Media Skillset, will also support the cause. Skillset chief executive, Dinah Caine, says; ‘our hope is that this apprenticeship will make our industries more accessible to young people from a diverse range of backgrounds.’

It’s a really inspiring move by Asos – setting up training, new factories and a long fashion direction process. Aimed at the 16-24 unemployed bracket and also the key age division of Asos’ audience, it looks set to be a hugely valuable coalition between British design, production, employers and consumers. It comes on the back of recent reports of soaring profits for Asos and figures doubling in online sales.