John Arlidge, Kiki McDonough, Fflur Roberts, and Dr R. Sri Ram
Country & Town House: Great British Brands Live 2026- Shaping the Future of British Luxury
UKICC joins industry leaders at Great British Brands Live 2026 to explore the future of British luxury, global markets, and cross-cultural opportunity.
Congratulations to Country & Town House for hosting a successful Great British Brands Live 2026 at Town Hall by Bottaccio, London, on Tuesday, 14th April. Lucy Cleland, Editorial Director, and her wonderful team did a fantastic job in bringing together around 200 British brands. During this engaging, informative and vibrant event, key issues facing GBB (Great British Brands) were debated, exploring opportunities and the way forward.
The event brought together influential voices from across fashion, design, travel, automotive, beauty and lifestyle—creating a dynamic forum for conversation, collaboration and forward thinking.
Setting the Agenda: New Frontiers for British Brands
The afternoon opened with a welcome session led by Dylan John Jones OBE and Lucy Cleland, setting the tone for a discussion centred on “New Frontiers for British Brands.” Their conversation highlighted the shifting landscape for British businesses navigating global markets, evolving consumer expectations and rapid technological change.
There was a clear sense that British brands are at a crossroads—balancing heritage with innovation while redefining what “Britishness” means on the global stage.
Lucy Cleland, Editorial Director of Country & Town House & Dr R. Sri Ram, UKICC
Dylan John Jones OBE, journalist and author
Photo credits: Country and Town House
Designing Tomorrow’s Luxury
The first panel explored how the future of luxury is being shaped by experience, sustainability and artificial intelligence. Featuring industry leaders including Nicola Hodson, Michael Harris, Giles English and Emma Pike, and hosted by Dylan Jones, the discussion focused on how brands are rethinking value beyond product.
Key themes included:
- The growing importance of immersive, personalised experiences
- Embedding sustainability into core business models rather than treating it as an add-on
- Leveraging AI to enhance creativity, efficiency and customer engagement
The consensus was clear: tomorrow’s luxury brands must be agile, responsible and deeply connected to their audiences.
Reimagining Britishness: An Interactive Exchange
An engaging A–Z session led by Hugo Rifkind and Ed Vaizey offered a more interactive take on the idea of British identity. Through humour and insight, the session unpacked cultural nuances and challenged traditional perceptions of Britishness.
This segment underscored how identity remains a powerful, yet evolving, asset for brands seeking to differentiate themselves internationally.
Photo Credits: Country and Town House
The Great Debate: East vs West
A key highlight of the event was Panel 2, “The Great Debate – East vs West: Where should brands be going?”, where Dr R. Sri Ram, Founder, CEO and Chair of the UK-India Creative Circle (UKICC), joined a distinguished panel alongside Kiki McDonough (Creative Director, Kiki McDonough) and Fflur Roberts (Head of Luxury Goods, Euromonitor International), hosted by John Arlidge (business journalist and editor-at-large).
The discussion addressed a central strategic question for British luxury brands:
Should the focus be on the high-growth opportunities of Eastern markets, or the relative stability of Western markets?
Insights from the panel included:
- Asia continues to offer significant growth potential, driven by expanding affluent consumer bases
- The US remains a key market for scale and brand visibility
- Europe, while historically strong, may present slower growth in the near term
- Long-term success will depend on diversification and resilience rather than reliance on a single region
Dr Sri Ram brought a valuable perspective on the importance of cross-cultural collaboration and the growing relevance of markets such as India within the broader Eastern growth story.
Closing Conversation: The Business of Beautiful Business
The event concluded with a fireside chat, The Business of Beautiful Business, featuring Mary Portas and Charlotte Metcalfe. The discussion explored the balance between purpose, creativity and commercial success, highlighting the need for brands to stay both commercially focused and culturally relevant. It was a fitting close to a day that reflected how value today goes beyond financial performance, towards something more meaningful, lasting and human.
Photo Credits: Country and Town House
Looking Ahead: A Shared Global Vision
A clear message emerged across the day: British brands must think globally while remaining rooted in authenticity. As competition grows, success will depend on balancing ambition with adaptability—embracing innovation while protecting the craftsmanship, creativity and heritage at the heart of British excellence.
Great British Brands Live 2026 highlighted the importance of dialogue and collaboration across sectors. For UKICC, it provided a valuable platform to contribute to conversations on global luxury and the growing importance of UK–India partnerships.
The afternoon ended with a strong sense of shared purpose, with collaboration, particularly with high-growth markets such as India, set to play a key role in unlocking future opportunities and long-term resilience.
