SIR JOHN SORRELL: BRITAIN IS A FERTILE CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT
At the turn of the millennium, I wrote a book, ‘Creative Island: Inspired Design From Great Britain’. The idea came to me while I was Chairman of the UK Design Council (1994–2000). During this time, I was asked repeatedly why I thought Britain was such a fertile creative environment and could I give examples.
The first edition of Creative Island was published in 2002 and I wrote a second edition in 2009. In both books, I considered the exceptional breadth and quality of design being produced in Britain at the beginning of the new millennium, across a broad span of disciplines, from architecture to fashion, graphics and retail. What I wrote in 2002 – that creativity has never been more important to a nation and that it is the key to economic and social prosperity in a rapidly changing world – could not be more relevant today.
The impact of COVID-19 across the world demands greater creative thinking than ever before and designers everywhere can play their part. Since the Pandemic struck there have been some brilliant design ideas for urgent needs such as personal protective clothing and new product design for vital medical equipment. Designers are good at responding to crises of all kinds and in the UK, the London Design Biennale has developed a strategic partnership with Chatham House, the world leading independent international affairs organisation, to produce a series of design briefs to designers and the public inviting radical design thinking across four key areas: Health, Environment, Work, Society. Submissions have been received from people in 58 countries and will be presented in an online exhibition titled ‘Design in an Age of Crisis’ from early January 2021 and then exhibited at the London Design Biennale at Somerset House in June 2021.
I hope the positive thinking that emerges will demonstrate the importance of design thinking to society and, importantly, also to the economy. The world needs to recover from the financial impact of the Pandemic and international trade is absolutely central to that recovery. I believe that, in the UK, our creative industries will play a key role – they have remained the nation’s fastest growing sector for the past two decades and design is at their heart.
My survey of British design in Creative Island II was focused on what I believe characterises our approach to design thinking in the UK. I call it a ‘greenhouse effect’, in which one discipline informs another and different breeds of creativity are cross-fertilised. This starts in our brilliant design colleges and continues in our design businesses. We may be an island people but there is nothing insular about the way design works here. Practitioners study each other’s work and interact socially and at industry events, which leads to mutual learning and development. This exchange underpins our creative culture and is, in my opinion, what makes British design so exciting.
One area that exemplifies this is the UK’s luxury sector, which is highly innovative creatively and has shown consistent trade growth in recent years. In its June 2019 industry report*, Walpole stated that British luxury is currently worth £48 billion to the UK economy, and 2013–2017 showed sales growth of 49%. The report also identified that the sector is heavily export-orientated, with 80% of production, or £38.5 billion in value terms, destined for overseas markets.
The perception of the UK’s luxury goods sector is, as the Walpole report discusses, a significant factor in its success. The UK’s reputation for strong creative leadership and nurturing creative talent enhance the appeal of British luxury for foreign markets, as do the goods, which bear out our reputation for pioneering design.
Anya Hindmarch has built a global fashion accessories business that embodies the thinking I pinpointed in Creative Island. Her approach is quintessentially British. Defining this, she says:
“I think British creativity stems from a strong blend of historical references combined with ‘anything goes’, cutting-edge design experimentation. In addition, the creative education in the UK is first class. If creativity interests you, you are drawn to the UK, and therefore like attracts like.”
The retail experience in the UK luxury sector is also an area where I believe we excel creatively, particularly in the case of our historic brands. After more than 300 years of doing business on London’s Piccadilly, Fortnum & Mason opened its first standalone store outside the UK, in Hong Kong’s Victoria Dockside, in November 2019. The brand has witnessed consistent sales growth over the past six years, particularly in Asia.
“Fortnum’s is in the business of pleasure and evoking a sense of joy, and these two feelings are always at the centre of any design we create,” says Zia Zareem-Slade, Fortnum’s Customer Experience Director. “Intelligent storytelling is built in throughout. We work with highly skilled illustrators and designers, and always endeavour to stay timeless, in our choice of materials and colours. As a longstanding British brand, we have a rich heritage to draw on but also a history of innovation, which is why we believe our appeal is so strong for both our home and overseas customers.”
I believe Britain is the best creative partner for any city or country in the world. We have expertise in numerous creative areas, which allows us to combine different concepts together, enabling extraordinary ideas and collaborations. Design and design thinking are the glue holding all this together and should be fully recognised by government and business for their potential to advance our cultural and trading partnerships across the world.
Sir John Sorrell CBE John Sorrell served as a UK Business Ambassador for the creative industries for 10 years. With his wife Frances, he created one of Europe’s most successful design businesses, Newell and Sorrell, and two educational charities that work to inspire creativity in young people. His numerous roles include Chairman of London Design Festival and President of London Design Biennale.
Creative Island (Laurence King Publishing, 2002); Creative Island II (Laurence King Publishing, 2009).
Part of this piece has been reprinted with permission from Britain in Hong Kong: The official magazine of The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Issue 63 – Nov/Dec 2019.
Sources: 1. DCMS Sectors Economics Estimates 2017: GVA 2. Walpole: Economic Contribution to the UK and Policy Recommendations: High-End Cultural & Creative Industries
