A member-led association for British and Chinese luxury — brand protection, market access, craft and compliance, from London.

Member-led Founded and directed by the brands themselves.
One member, one vote No member holds more influence than another.
Not-for-profit Income is applied solely to our objects.
Independent No government, embassy or chamber affiliation.
Based in London
English & 简体中文
Luxury-sector only
2026 Founded in London
04 Member workstreams
01 Vote per member
Membership enquiry What we do

What we do

Four workstreams, chosen by members

Each workstream is led by a member committee and supported by the secretariat. Outputs go to members first.

Workstream 01

Brand protection

Enforcement & anti-counterfeiting

Reducing counterfeiting and grey-market diversion across both markets, with practical routes rather than theory.

  • Enforcement toolkits for the UK and China
  • Customs, platform and takedown training
  • Shared intelligence on emerging patterns
Workstream 02

Market access

Channels & distribution

The routes to market that matter now, and what is changing next — from cross-border e-commerce to travel retail.

  • Cross-border e-commerce and travel retail briefings
  • Channel, distribution and logistics know-how
  • Introductions to vetted partners
Workstream 03

Craft & heritage

Skills & cultural exchange

Keeping specialist skill alive and visible on both sides of the exchange, from ateliers to apprentices.

  • Apprenticeship and talent exchange
  • Heritage craft showcases
  • Support for independent ateliers
Workstream 04

Standards & compliance

Guidance & education

Guidance that keeps members ahead of rules rather than behind them — including our own competition-law discipline.

  • Compliance and consumer-protection briefings
  • Competition-law guidance for member meetings
  • Authentication and traceability education

How outputs are released. Research, toolkits and briefing notes are published to members first. Open briefings and reports that benefit the wider market are announced on this page.

Membership

Four ways to join

Open to businesses established in the UK, Greater China or elsewhere. You do not need a UK subsidiary to join.

By invitation

Founding Brand

Luxury houses & heritage brands

For houses that shape the agenda rather than follow it.

  • Board seat during the founding term
  • Direct say over workstream priorities
  • Co-signature on UCLIA research
  • Priority hosting rights for events

Three-year commitment · limited places

Voting

Brand Member

Brand owners, licensees & official distributors

Full participation with a vote in every decision.

  • One member, one vote
  • All four workstreams
  • Full research library
  • Member rates at all events

Annual subscription

Non-voting

Partner Member

Law, tax, logistics, travel retail, authentication

For the professional services that carry luxury across borders.

  • Participation in workstream sessions
  • Listing in the partner directory
  • Visibility at member events
  • Member rates for your team

Annual subscription

Observer

Academic & Individual

Academics, curators & independent artisans

For those who study, curate or make — not just sell.

  • Observer access to published outputs
  • Tickets to open events
  • Research summaries

Individual subscription

Fees are provided on application. Every member accepts our Code of Conduct and Competition Law Compliance Policy, and confirms that no recommendation made by the Association binds any member commercially. Request the membership pack →

Governance & ethics

How we are run — and what we will never do

Trade associations carry a specific responsibility under competition law. We publish our limits so that members, regulators and partners can hold us to them.

How we are governed

  • A board of three to eleven directors, elected by Brand Members.
  • One member, one vote — no member carries more weight than another.
  • Not-for-profit: income is applied solely to our objects and never distributed to members.
  • At least one independent director without a commercial interest in the sector.
  • Annual report, accounts and published terms of reference for every committee.
  • Asset lock: on dissolution, remaining assets pass to a body with similar objects.

What we do not do

  • We do not discuss or exchange prices, discounts, margins, rebates or recommended retail prices.
  • We do not allocate markets, customers or territories between members.
  • We do not run a certification, accreditation or approval scheme.
  • We are not a regulator and have no enforcement powers.
  • We work independently: we have no affiliation with, or mandate from, any government, embassy, chamber of commerce or trade promotion body.
  • We do not provide legal, tax or investment advice.

Programme 2026–27

Events & briefings

Events already held are listed below; other dates are indicative and confirmed to members first. Open sessions are advertised here; members receive the full programme by email.

Founding roundtable of the Association
August 2026

Founding members' roundtable

At the roundtable, founding brands and members set the Association's first-year agenda: which workstreams we pursue first, how the board is constituted, and what the sector needs from UCLIA.

London · Held Request more information →
Fall-ash-fired Dunhuang series by Professor Xu Hui — a wood-fired porcelain cup painted with a Buddha face
16–27 September 2026

Reviving Craft: Reflection of the Mind — London

After visiting the exhibition, the Association's Chairman, Mr Yan Lei, set out his thinking on 心物 (mind and material) and 心物智能 (the intelligence of making). The exhibition ran as an official special project of London Design Festival, bringing together more than 70 Chinese and international artists and nearly 150 works. The article below reflects on natural things and things made by hand and heart: handwork is not an obsolete craft, but another kind of intelligence — not in the cloud, but between mind and material. Lead image: Professor Xu Hui's fall-ash-fired Dunhuang series.

London · Exhibition & craft Read the article →

Privacy

What this website does with your data

Very little, by design. This is a static website with no forms, no cookies and no analytics.

A short version: this site is static, so it collects nothing through forms or cookies, runs no analytics and loads no web fonts. Our web server keeps short-lived access logs for security, and we use your email address only to reply to you.

Read the full privacy notice

Privacy questions: info@uclia.co.uk

About the Association

A single, trusted voice for the UK–China luxury sector

About UCLIA

The UK China Luxury Industry Association (UCLIA) is a not-for-profit membership association based in London. We bring together British and Chinese luxury brands, official distributors and the professional services that support them.

Luxury crosses borders long before it crosses a shop floor: design in London, craftsmanship in both countries, and customers moving between the two markets. Yet the sector is served mostly by generalist trade bodies. UCLIA exists to close that gap with a dedicated, sector-specific agenda that members set themselves.

We keep it narrow: the luxury sector, the UK and Greater China, and a small number of things we can do well. We do not sell advice, certify products, or speak for anyone but our members.

What we stand for

Independent

No government, embassy or chamber affiliation, and no hidden sponsor agenda.

Member-led

Members elect the board and choose the workstreams we pursue.

Not-for-profit

Surplus is reinvested into research, standards and member programmes.

Sector-focused

Luxury only — from heritage houses to independent ateliers.

Contact

Talk to us

Enquiries in English or Simplified Chinese are welcome. Write to us directly and a person will reply.

Membership & general enquiries

Press, partnerships & privacy