Education
Stop Press: Since 2020 I have been a council member of FACE: Fashion Academics Creating Equality. Read more here
I have worked in education for over 30 years as a Visiting Lecturer, External Assessor and Course Validator. Much of my work has been in London in Colleges like Kingston School of Art, Central St Martins, London College of Fashion and Royal College of Art but I've visited a huge a variety places for one off lectures. As of February 2016, I'm delighted to hold a Professorial post at Kingston University.
I have always spoken about the politics of fashion and my Diversity NOW! lectures conceived whilst co-director of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk (we founded it in 2009) promoted body image and diverse identity narratives and gave stealth feminism a broader reach. This and other All Walks initiatives had helped change the curriculums of 7 colleges by the time I stepped away in 2015. In 2014 I visited 25 colleges in the UK from Edinburgh to Southampton and one in Canada. We also launched the Edinburgh College of Art/All Walks Centre of Diversity. Director Mal Burkinshaw Head of Womenswear at Edinburgh remains a constant inspiration for his innovative process.
I've collected some honorary degrees, which has made my elderly parents proud and I've had the chance to pose in gowns and cloaks that remind me of medieval costume. That's been especially nice!
My latest post as visiting professor of diverse selfhood at Kingston university has given me to the chance to work closely with young creatives on issues of ethical process pertaining to identity and self esteem. Kingston has been declared a high ranking fashion college globally, so I am delighted to take up this position.
Educational work and posts have provided me with some of the most fulfilling ways to spend my day and easily many of the most heartwarming moments!
- Honorary Doctorate: Kingston University.
- Honorary Fellow: The Arts University College of Bournemouth
- Visiting Fellow: London College of Fashion 2010-2020
- Global Ambassador: Graduate Fashion Foundation
- Educational Director for the UK's premier fashion consumer-show: Clothes Show Live 2010 - 2016.
- Online lecturer/mentor for mastered.com
- Goldsmiths evening classes lecturer: Make fashion work for you using applied psychology 2019 -
- Council Member FACE: Fashion Academics Creating Equality 2020 -
Having completed my MSc in Applied Psychology in Fashion under Dr Carolyn Mair at London College of Fashion. My research and findings along with other topics around bias are now going into a book that Dr Keon West and I will collaborate on together. I hope the results will empower the next generation of young creatives to become disruptive fashion lovers!
Lectures you can request:
1. I am a Disruptive Fashion Lover: A career in fashion over 40 years.
2. The importance of selfhood: What is it and why do we desperately need an understanding of it in fashion education.
3. The psychology and the sickness of the objectified woman: Similar to the above but much harder hitting.
4. Diversity as a future ethical consideration: Does what it says on the packet.
5. Emotional Intelligence and its importance to creative collaboration.
6. Emotional intelligence. How do you connect your creativity with your gut and desire for pro-social change?
7. The history of fashion culture: A pre-digital and post digital journey for young people who can't begin to imaging how the internet has impacted upon their thinking.
8. Bias and the brain - a beginner's guide.
9. White Centricity, power and vulnerability
10 My racism and your learning.
11 The Power of One - using your voice, making a change
12. Stepping up to lead - finding the confidence to make change happen
The value of uncertainty