Liz Kendall, Labour MP for Leicester West, said:
“Leicester is home to some of the best textile businesses in the country.
“These firms are the heart and soul of our community, literally knitting people together.
“It is a testament to their flair, the skill of their workers and their entrepreneurship that textile products made in this city are sold across the UK and abroad.
“Whether that is the House of Commons Christmas jumpers by Jack Masters or Pantherella socks – the best socks in the world – or any of the other amazing companies based here.
“We are determined to make Leicester the leading centre for textile design and manufacturing in the UK. A brilliant future lies ahead.”
Peter Chandler, Head of Economic Regeneration Leicester City Council:
“Congratulations on such a fabulous event!
“It was absolutely brilliant, with a very impressive attendance and lots of interesting content.
“In particular I thought the tone of the day – probably for the first time – was forward looking and positive.”
Brendan Mangan, GM UK/I Kornit Digital:
“It was great to attend the Made in Leicester event—I was genuinely inspired by the passion and creativity on display. This was more than just an event; it was a celebration of the local Leicester community’s commitment to driving real change in the fashion industry.
“The industry is evolving rapidly, and it’s clear that innovation and local collaboration are key to navigating that change. Companies like Kornit, along with our forward-thinking customers, are proud to be part of that journey—helping shape a more sustainable, agile, and creative future for fashion.”
Elizabeth Brandwood, Style3D:
“It was a true honour to be part of Leicester Made 2025 and to connect with the passionate innovators shaping the future of UK fashion. Style3D is proud to support the movement to reshore manufacturing by providing the tools and technology that drive efficiency, creativity, and sustainability across the value chain. We’re deeply grateful to Jennifer Holloway for organising such a dynamic gathering—this is the kind of bold leadership that drives transformation.”
Mar Fernández, Market Development Director, Alvanon Europe:
“It was a privilege to support Jenny and her team at such a positive, inspiring and forward thinking event.
“It is clear Leicester is an ecosystem of apparel and textile design and manufacturing talent. It is positioned to play a key role in helping the UK rebuild its production capabilities and Alvanon is proud to support that renaissance.”
Kirsty Holdsworth, General Manager ASBCI:
“The ASBCI is proud to sponsor Leicester Made 2025, supporting a vital platform that connects brands, retailers, and UK suppliers. As advocates for ethical, innovative, and sustainable fashion, we’re committed to driving collaboration across the supply chain and reshaping the future of UK manufacturing. A huge thank you to Jennifer Holloway for organising this incredible event and championing the ASBCI.”
Naeem Riaz, Founder at Loop Kinetics Ltd | Co-Founder at Maeknit Inc:
“It’s rare to see such passion and desire, focused in a positive way, with so many dedicated individuals wanting to revive and rebuild our clothing heritage.
“I was particularly impressed with the variety and number of visitors from all over the country. We know Leicester is irreplaceable and that’s what was reinforced at the event.”
Shezad founder of NVC INT:
“A fantastic event showcasing some of British’s best. And to have the MP for Leicester West work with us will only further bolster the industry to heights it has never seen before. Massive well done to the organisers, a very successful event.”
Tejas Shah, Shahtex Limited:
“Leicester made was a fantastic event, very well planned and was a delight to be part of. It was made extra special by the Roundtable event with MP for Leicester West, Liz Kendall taking the time to listen to us Leicester manufacturers, hearing our struggles and pushing for public procurement to made in the UK.”
Sunny Patel, Meesha Group:
“The Leicester Made event was a brilliant celebration of our city’s talent and innovation. It was fantastic to connect with fellow fashion leaders and hear from Liz Kendall and Rosie Wrighting about the continued support for our industry — a real reminder of the strength and potential within Leicester’s creative and manufacturing community.”
Nick Beighton, Nick Beighton, Ex CEO ASOS, EX CEO Matches Fashion, Chairman Secret Sales, Ecommerce/Digital Business Builder:
“I was delighted to attend the second Made in Leicester event which was well attended and showcased some of the best of the local Leicester talent, put together by Jenny Holloway and the Fashion-Enter team. We were discussing important topics from how to make fashion and manufacturing brilliant again in the UK and Leicester. Once a city that boasted to clothe the world. The mission is clear – let’s re-establish that crown!and connect the amazing talent in a new and exciting way.
“I was delighted to co-host the session with Leicester West MP Liz Kendall. Liz attended and participated in an important session addressing the strategies we need to adopt to achieve a bigger and better fashion and manufacturing sector.”
Abz, Denovo:
“It was a productive and encouraging discussion with Liz Kendall on the future of clothing manufacturing in Leicester.
“As a UK-based manufacturer, we welcome the renewed focus on supporting local supply chains, upskilling the workforce, and investing in ethical, sustainable production. Leicester has the talent, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial spirit to lead the next chapter of British manufacturing and we’re extremely proud to be part of that journey.”
Navroop Kaur – All She Wants Clothing:
“Leicester Made was an incredible day and a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase the skills and talent on offer in our city, in particular the roundtable with MP Liz Kendall provided the community with a stage to voice our ideas and concerns to support the rebuilding of our industry.”
Salli Denton, LaundRE:
“Leicester Made was an incredible event, showcasing the passion and commitment of UK manufacturers. Now, it’s time for policy to match our efforts in delivering a sustainable and responsible fashion future. Jenny and her team’s dedication to supporting every UK business—from startups and students to established industry partners—must be applauded and, more importantly, heard by government.”
Chris Desai, CEO at UOCEAN 2025:
“A huge thank and well done you to the incredible Jennifer Holloway for organising everything — the chaos, the brilliance, the mistaken identity — and Catherine Loader for the excellent insight about John Lewis & Partners and Paul Kerssens and the work with Patagonia, and finally for life reminding us all of one very important message:
‘Don’t take life too seriously, or yourself!’
“A brilliant event and so proud to be Made in Leicester.”
Josie Pearson, Co-Founder at Motherlight:
“We wanted to express our sincere gratitude for inviting us to exhibit and for your generous support of our new venture. The positive response from the delegates was overwhelming, and we are excited to have several ongoing conversations with wonderful brands that are scheduling meetings with us over the next few weeks. Your support has been invaluable in making these connections possible.
“Congratulations on hosting such a brilliant, fun, and truly important event. We were so pleased to be a part of it!”
Andrea Courtney, Courtney and Co:
“What a great event I had a wonderful time and made some very good connections and increased our network of potential new manufacturers we could be working with.
“All in all a very energetic, buzzy, positive and musical trade show. I would love to return again should you intend to have another trade show like this.”
Sophie Rycroft, Responsible Sourcing, Ethical Compliance, Quality, Product Operations & Sustainability Director at Debenhams Group:
“What a great day at Leicester Made with Taj Grewal. Super exciting to hear the plans to grow and push Leicester manufacturing further. We are proud to source from Leicester, and I hope today encourages more brands to source and buy from the UK.
“It was good to catch up with our current partners, engage with new ones, look at the latest technology and innovation, and to also collaborate with other retail brands. Thank you for hosting Jenny Holloway, Simon Platts and Fashion-Enter.”
Hannah Abdulla, Deputy Editor, Just-Style:
“Thank you for having me, it was a top-tier event and the panel sessions were excellent!
“The speakers were really engaging and it’s given us lots of content and contacts to work with for our UK manufacturing pieces.”
Images by Felicity West and Norv Bell