A letter from Washington

I didn’t happen to bump into the UK Secretary of State for Business Jonathan Reynolds during my time in Washington earlier this week. Still, it was quietly reassuring to know we were both there, working different rooms but with a shared purpose. The United States – that vast, inscrutable, yet highly prized market – remains one of Britain’s most vital trading partners, despite its current, rather capricious, trade policy. With an announcement on the new US tariff regime set for Wednesday 2nd April, having boots on the ground felt less like a choice and more like a necessity. This isn’t a moment for waving the flag from afar but for rolling up sleeves, strengthening relationships, and making the case – calmly, clearly, and persuasively – for the value British luxury delivers to the American economy: jobs, tax revenues, and investment, all neatly wrapped in heritage and craftsmanship.

It would be naive to hope tariffs won’t make an appearance. They almost certainly will, in some form. Yet Washington, that city where people say perception can matter as much as policy, seems to view Britain’s measured, pragmatic approach with some respect. It may even play to our advantage when decisions are unveiled on Tuesday 2nd April. A few voices, seasoned ones at that, suggest the elusive goal of a UK-US free trade agreement is closer than it’s been in years.

Still, tariffs or no tariffs, and even with the rumblings of economic uncertainty, the mood among those I met – policymakers, advisors, industry leaders – was strikingly bullish about the prospects for British luxury. The market opportunity remains robust, underpinned by deep cultural ties and that intangible but invaluable asset: soft power. British luxury carries with it an aura of status, authenticity, and quiet diplomacy – qualities that resonate with America’s affluent consumers in ways many competitors struggle to match.

For those British brands navigating this intricate and unpredictable terrain, the path to success may lie in a sharper focus on the super-affluent in low-tax, high-income states – Texas, in particular, emerging as a lucrative frontier. The Lone Star State, with its dynamic economy and appetite for the exceptional, could well be the place where British craftsmanship finds its next loyal patrons.

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