FASHION Magazine

For the past few months, we’ve been following reports that Britain’s Revenue and Customs is planning a raid on the fashion design houses that benefit from the use of unpaid interns. Yesterday, all 102 companies that participated in last London Fashion Week were issued a warning: starting in 2012, no fashion house, regardless of its size, is allowed to enlist the help of unpaid interns. Each company must either pay their interns at least the minimum wage of £6.08 an hour or find a way to do without.

For some companies, the switch is a fast and easy one—Stella McCartney has already changed its policy, and starting in January will offer paid positions only. This will be more of a challenge for newcomers and smaller designers, whose budgets don’t include being able to pay their extra help. “Most people who are starting out in the industry just don’t have the funds,” explains SIBLING’s Cozette McCreery to Elle UK. “It’s just done with love, and that’s it. When the main designers aren’t getting paid—if you can’t find money to pay yourself—it’s really difficult to find money to pay others.”