Fashion entrepreneur Dr. Antoinette Fionda-Douglas, co-founder, designer, and managing director of the sustainable fashion brand Beira, has decided to forgo attending Tartan Week in New York City next month due to uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s tariffs and policies.
Speaking at The Herald’s Business Breakfast event, where UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement was discussed, the Edinburgh-based Dr. Fionda-Douglas revealed that although Beira had an opportunity to attend, the timing wasn’t right. She explained, “We had the chance to go but decided not to,” adding that while the business has a growing customer base in the United States, now isn’t the right time to expand further there.
She explained that due to the unpredictable political climate and tariffs under Trump’s policies, it was more challenging to navigate the market, and the brand was considering other potential markets such as Tokyo. “The Donald Trump factor is not attractive,” she stated.
Tartan Week, known for celebrating Scottish heritage and culture, offers businesses an opportunity to promote their products and establish business relationships. However, the increasing complexity of international trade, driven by the Trump administration’s policies, has led many small businesses to reassess their participation.
Dr. Fionda-Douglas also highlighted the broader challenges facing small businesses today, emphasizing the rising costs of doing business. “The sentiment is there is a real cost of doing business crisis and to go to market to sell our wares is really expensive,” she said.
She further noted that the impact of Brexit on businesses has been significant, especially regarding the 34% increase in taxes and duties. “Our customers in Europe dropped by 90% when we had a growing customer base in Europe,” Dr. Fionda-Douglas explained, stressing that these changes had been detrimental to the business.
Despite these difficulties, she remained optimistic, recognizing that entrepreneurship requires resilience. “I always try to look for some positivity – if you don’t, you wouldn’t be an entrepreneur,” she said.
Beira, a brand that transforms waste from luxury fashion houses into one-off garments, recently closed its retail store in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge district due to escalating rent and rates. “Retail in our high streets is on its knees,” Dr. Fionda-Douglas commented.
When discussing access to finance for SMEs, she acknowledged that while support is available, it often comes with additional challenges. “There seem to be more hurdles,” she said, stressing the importance of supporting local economies. She also urged for better gender equality, expressing shock at learning that one in four children in North Lanarkshire live in poverty during a recent visit to a clothing factory in Cumbernauld.
Dr. Fionda-Douglas criticized the UK Government’s cuts to welfare benefits, describing them as “disgusting” and claiming that such decisions mainly affect women.
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