Men’s knitwear company links up with China

Ross Barr founder, Ross Hoyland (Left), with Chamber International China affairs associate, Matthew Grandage, at British Wool in Bradford.

A Yorkshire men’s fashion company is stepping up exports to China after being selected for a major new showcase of British brands in Beijing.

Knitwear by Ross Barr, which won a start-up grant from The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme in 2015, is being displayed in department store, The British House, near Tiananmen Square, which highlights UK businesses to help them capitalise on China’s appetite for British goods.

The company was set up by Ross Barr-Hoyland, a self-taught clothing designer who uses Scottish wool fleeces which are dyed and spun by West Yorkshire Spinners in Keighley before being manufactured in Leicester.

 

Barr-Hoyland said: “I aim to build an authentic British brand to help revive British textiles, combat the decline in former industrial heartlands and provide opportunities for people in these areas.

“I was introduced to The British House by the Department for International Trade. It is an honour to be featured alongside well-known names. I’m looking forward to working with Chamber International to see how we can develop sales in China and along the ‘new silk road’ as it develops. As far as I’m concerned the sky’s the limit.”

The first garment produced by Ross Barr, a double-breasted cardigan, The Spencer, inspired by The Regency period, has sold worldwide and was worn by supermodel David Gandy for the Campaign for Wool Week in London in 2015.

Ross-Barr, based at Entrepreneurial Spark, has generated sales throughout the UK, continental Europe, China, Japan, South Africa, Australasia and South America for The Spencer and has developed two other garments, The Elliott and The Hoyland, which are also picking up overseas sales.

 

The British House features British fashion, homeware, art and education, including well-known brands, such as Turnbull and Asser, Johnstons of Elgin, Heals, Duke and Dexter and John Smedley, and Ross Barr’s garments will be displayed in the Men’s Dressing Room, alongside other clothing and accessory brands.

Group Retail and marketing director for The British House, Jamie Powell, said: “Ross Barr is one of our young designers with an innovative product which supports UK manufacturing. We hope to offer Ross a platform for new business in Beijing and internationally.”

Chamber International China affairs associate, Matthew Grandage, added: “Britain has a well-deserved reputation for being at the global forefront of fashion and clothing design.

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