Much of Fashion Future Lies in Conscious Communities

Avis has worked extensively throughout her career to expand opportunities for young people by working with the Prince's Trust and mentoring new entrepreneurs. She is a staunch advocate for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (NMCF) and Women for Women (WfWI). This relationship prompted Avis to combine personal ethics and assistance for women by launching the Kivu scarf collection. The scarves have gorgeous print patterns inspired by countries where war has wrecked women's livelihoods. Proceeds from sales are donated to WfWi and the NMCF, combining luxury with philanthropy.

Avis has served on numerous government and corporate sector boards and is a frequent speaker at international conferences, including the World Economic Forum (WEF). She was recognised at the Women: Inspiration and Enterprise's (WIE) roll call of the fifty most inspiring women in business and leadership in the United Kingdom. Avis is an Honorary International Research Fellow in the Faculty of Arts, Design, and Humanities at De Montfort University and a guest lecturer at a number of international universities.

Avis also introduced her long-time collaborator Varsha Mahendra, a fashion designer, entrepreneur, and craft revivalist with over 25 years’ experience, based in Hyderabad, India. Since graduating from the 10k GS ISB Management Program for Women Entrepreneurs, she has been working with weavers and artisans at the grassroots level to revitalise handloom and hand embroidery skills and assist in the improvement of livelihoods.

Varsha has worked as a consultant on a range of initiatives with organisations such as Oxfam to make handloom clothing, aesthetic products, handicrafts, and gift items utilising traditional craft-based techniques. She has also worked with Microsoft India, the Andhra Pradesh Handicraft Development Corporation, the APCO Central Cottage Industries Emporium, and JMDC to promote Indian handicrafts on the international arena.

Currently, Varsha employs weavers and artisans to create products and clothing with modern styles based on traditional workmanship. Dsgyn Idys was founded in 2007 with the intention of providing women with uniquely designed silhouettes that are handcrafted with attention on detail. Varsha has established three brands under the Dsgyn Idys umbrella. These are Varsha Mahendra, VM Craft for Life, and Varsha Mahendra's Jus Blouses.

These great opening keynotes, honouring creative crafts, culture and heritage were followed by research into various fashion and textiles communities including the study titled: ‘Through a Lens – A comparison of contested masculine identities as reflected in clothing, place, and portraiture’  by Andrew Grove, University of Westminster, London, Jo Jenkinson, Manchester Metropolitan University, and John Earnshaw, Manchester Metropolitan University. This project uses styling and portraiture to document the personal and collective identities of diverse groups of young people.

The conference also supported an exhibition including the project ‘People of Manchester. Recycling redundant festival tents and NHS textile waste to provide life-enhancing solutions for the homeless in Manchester’, by Becky de Lacy, Helen Price, Barbara Shepherd, Jane Wood and Ruth Butterworth.

Ruth developed a series of prototype products repurposing redundant textiles supplied by the NHS and hospitality sector, designed with the purpose to alleviate the difficulties transitioning from life on the street into accommodation. The prototypes are accompanied by a comprehensive production guide, created specifically for HMP Prison Industries with an aim to advance the skills and subsequent life opportunities of those taking part.

Colleague Helen Price and I designed a curriculum diagram for the exhibition to illustrate the complexities of working with multiple stakeholders on such a project and co-authored a complimentary zine with Reader & Knowledge Exchange Lead Barbara Shepherd and Jane Wood outlining the roles, responsibilities and potential for positive social impact when such collaborations are embedded within a fashion and textile curriculum.

The Future Fashion Factory (FFF) was a conference co-host. The FFF is an industry-led programme headquartered at the University of Leeds School of Design. Within Future Fashion Factory, designers direct a highly inventive process of applying, co-developing, and implementing new textile and industrial digital technologies (IDTs) in collaboration with supply chain manufacturers, retailers, and other technology experts in the luxury textile and fashion industry. The R&D cluster generates exciting new potential for creative innovation, new products, faster product development and design lead times, reduced costs, and greater global industrial competitiveness and efficiency.

Day two kicked off with a keynote by the imitable Christopher Raeburn—a graduate of the Royal College of Art in London. Christopher’s pioneering work has brought ethical design to a global audience and presents a new meaning for luxury with integrity. Since its inception in 2009, the RAEMADE concept has pioneered the reworking of leftover textiles and clothing into unique and useful pieces. In addition, a highly collaborative atmosphere informs the creation of award-winning, handcrafted objects with particular functional value. This inventive approach is applied to menswear, womenswear, luggage, and accessories with an uncommon blend of high concept, wearability, and accessibility.

RAEBURN's DNA is imbued with collaborative collaborations, each of which has been carefully chosen in order to increase sector-wide knowledge and adoption of responsible practises. Over the past decade and more, RAEBURN has established relationships with companies such as Moncler, The North Face, Umbro, Rapha, Aesop, Disney and many others. Christopher has enjoyed an extended association with Timberland and is now regarded as their "Collaborator at Large," continuing to promote The Earthkeepers by RAEBURN collection, which challenges the brand's commitment to eco-innovation. Additionally, Christopher has been selected as the creative director for the relaunch of Left Hand and ST95, two companies founded by Massimo Osti.

Christopher has transformed the RAEBURN idea into an immersive experience for visitors at the RAEBURN Lab in Hackney, which houses the RAEMADE atelier, 11-year design archive, and serves as the brand's flagship retail space. In 2021, a sister space opened at 2 Marshall Street in Carnaby, Central London. The atmosphere is a physical reflection of RAEBURN, and retail fixtures are created from repurposed, recyclable, or easily repurposeable materials. Expanding their contact with consumers regarding new systems and methods of operation.

Courtney Chrimes and Hilde Heim of The Manchester Fashion Institute presented their ongoing research: ‘Textile Supply Chain Transparency: examining the digital hesitancy gap’.

Amidst the recent explosion of digital solutions for supply chain transparency, few fashion industry stakeholders have implemented digitalisation fully into their operations beyond pilot schemes. This study finds that the investment in training, operational upheaval, and the lack of ‘digital mindset’ are some of the challenges yet to be overcome by firms.   

The delegates also had the opportunity to view the Marks and Spencer’s Archive.  Did you know that M & S began in Leeds? The permanent exhibition has delightful clips and anecdotes from bygone eras—and some excellent examples of their historical product lines.