“Individuality is such a prime thing in the fashion world, regardless of what you do,” celebrity stylist Michael Miller tells me at the beginning of our phone call. “Even from college level, you’re taught that you’re number one, you’re the star, and to not give a shit about anyone else.” The feeling of individualism that the fashion industry can entrench in some people was one of the main reasons Miller decided to co-found the Fashion UK branch of BECTU, the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union. The branch was set up to support all “non-perfoming” members of the industry, and since 2021 Miller has made it his mission to unite the disparate parts of the fashion industry, made up of thousands of freelancers who otherwise would not have any form of support. “That was the entire reason for starting a union,” he continues “to bring people together.”

Like many who’ve worked in the industry for as long as Miller has (13 years and counting), the stylist has been privy to a number of private conversations about the state of workplace relations. Without directly naming anyone, Miller tells me stories of individuals who’ve fallen victim to unscrupulous bosses, being forced to work endless hours for little or no pay, or been on the receiving end of vitriolic abuse. “There’s practices that have gone on for decades – of financial abuse for the most part,” says Miller, “but also emotional abuse, sometimes physical abuse. It’s endemic and it needs to stop.”

“We want everyone to feel like they have a safe space to talk” – Michael Milller

Miller presides over a 300-strong WhatsApp community where members can report wrongdoings and decompress about their workplace situations. “If they join on WhatsApp, they can hide their number and they can talk openly,” he says. “We want everyone to feel like they have a safe space to talk.” And despite the fact that he’s been in the industry for so long, Miller candidly admits that some of the conversations from within the group surprise him even to this day. “You think you’re used to the stories, and every now and then something still comes along that shocks you.”

One of the main ways Fashion UK is fighting to meet the needs of workers in the industry is by establishing an official reporting system. “We’re working on creating a contract and a terms and conditions template, as well as a document which we’ve called the Guide of Good Practice,” says Miller. The guide has a full and comprehensive breakdown of the stylist’s role within the industry, as well as the different types of stylists, how long their specific processes take, and all the costs involved. “Going forward, we want to be able to have documents like that for every single type of [fashion] worker. So they can go onto our website, pull it off, fill in the form – easy, simple, done.”

Though there are definitely still hurdles to overcome when it comes to support for fashion workers, Miller is optimistic that change can be made. “It’s about getting institutions like the BFC on board,” he says, who unfortunately do not have official capacity to help in the same way a union would. He also adds that there is “something coming” in association with CIISA, the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority. “They have the backing of major TV studios and film studios, as well as BECTU, to find a way that freelancers can report bullying and harassment in the workplace.”

As well as this, change can only come through getting the word out to the most amount of people. As Miller explains, the entire industry has to work together as a unit, rather than remain contained in silos as it currently stands. “A union can only help its members,” he says emphatically. ‘Unless you’re a member of our union, there’s not a lot we can do for you, and that’s what we’re trying to get people to understand. If you want the union to help you, you have to take part.”

To join BECTU’s Fashion UK branch, head to the union’s official website here.