Historic Overview.
In 2007, Burberry closed its doors to one of their last ties to British manufacturing. Polikoffs was renowned in South Wales for boasting such a claim to fame. As a country we were incredibly proud to say Burberry products were made in the heart of the welsh valleys, supporting 300 individuals. Even now, my family still talks about the factory and the impact it had on the local area.
Months of campaigning and protests in 2006 unfortunately, did not change the decision of Burberry's head office and we are now seeing the impact of this nearly 2 decades later. Despite launching a new campaign in September 2024, Burberry had off-shored most of its manufacturing abroad due to cost effectiveness, despite notoriously being known for their British craftsmanship.
The Rhondda, previously known for its wealth of industries, mines, iron and steel works has since been stripped of all of these and are now historic sites.
The result of the closure saw 300 people lose their jobs and a skilled workforce diminished.
Direct Sewing Enterprise.
I was first introduced to the Direct Sewing Enterprise team in 2020 when I had initially set out to launch my first brand. The challenge I faced was in-experience, I didn't know how to articulate my design ideas into physical products and I was also scared to invest in myself - which resulted in failure to launch.
Fast forward to 2024 and we reconnected, only this time I have a better understanding of the brands vision. After reaching out, we have been able to establish a great working relationship from the get go, one where we are both excited to be working together.
As a brand, it is so important for us to be able to support businesses exactly like DSE as they create job opportunities and skills for the local area - just like it did for over 40 years previously.
For a behind the scenes look, you can watch our vlogs here.
