London College of Fashion

London College of Fashion provides students with opportunities to cover social and environmental issues from Foundation to Masters level. The College also organises extracurricular activities. Dilys Williams, director of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, speaks about the work on sustainability at London College of Fashion in a film produced for the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Foundation

(2007) Foundation Fashion Buying and Merchandising

Students explored issues around supply chain management, green fabrics and consumer awareness through a fair trade project. The project brief was to research the fashion market and deliver an idea for a capsule collection fair trade range for a retailer of their choice with a ratioanale to back it up.

For further information contact: Chloe Mason at <c.mason_at_fashion.arts.ac.uk> (replace (_at_) with @)

Visit the course website.

Undergraduate

(2007) Honours degree portfolio review:

The honours degree portfolio, i.e. all BA (Hons) degrees, were reviewed and revalidated during the academic year 06/07. As part of this review, the issues of the responsibilities that all LCF students have as designers, product developers, buyers, fashion journalists, fashion photographers etc. were discussed. As a result, a number of courses have embedded, into the curriculum,

- the responsibility to all of those involved in the make of their products: To celebrate their skills, respect their rights, confirm agreed working conditions, adhere to agreed codes of
conduct and

- the responsibility to the world: to maintain our resources and to minimise the impact of the products made, packaged, delivered, worn and discarded from our industry.

(2007) Fashion Product degree courses including BA (Hons) Cordwainers Accessories, BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Development and BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear

One of the 6 aims for the 3/4 year courses is that upon successful completion of the course students will be able to demonstrate a practical awareness of the fashion and lifestyle industries in relation to issues affecting economically sound and sustainable outcomes.

Year 1 projects introduce this through an innovative design project Re think Re design Remake which brings in the fundamentals of consumer behaviour, social and environmental awareness and the financial and market considerations in design and product development to inform design and construction decisions.

Year 2 projects develop this through industry related projects. For example. commencing Oct 07, year 2 students will work with Amoosi, to utilise materials donated by Oxfam to celebrate the design possibilities of metamorphosing used clothing into highly desirable
and sustainable products. In the final year, students develop their own concept which should demonstrate (amongst other learning outcomes) consideration of the environmental impact of materials and design processes, awareness of the opportunities and constraints of sustainabiility in design and product development and the responsibilities of designers/product developer.

For further information contact: Dilys Williams at <d.williams_at_fashion.arts.ac.uk> (replace (_at_) with @)

Visit the course website. 

(2008) BA (Hons) Fashion Management

Undergraduates have the option of studying an ethical fashion unit in level 2. Students will cover garment manufacturing issues, questioning whether fashion retailers can operate in both ethical and commercial ways.

For further information contact: Claire Lomas at <c.lomas(_at_)fashion.arts.ac.uk> (replace (_at_) with @)

Visit the course website.

Postgraduate 

(2008) BA Fashion Business (Part Time)

Through looking at supply chain and product development as part of most units there is a discussion of ethics / sustainability / green supply chain (in marketing, management) but Product Development and Buying and Merchandising look in depth at these issues.

For further information contact: Dr Julia Wolny at <j.wolny_at_fashion.arts.ac.uk> (replace (_at_) with @) 

(2010) MA Fashion and the Environment

MA Fashion and the Environment is a unique course providing the opportunity to work either on practical, technical or theoretical outcomes - or a hybrid of these areas. The course allows students to explore across the boundaries usually associated with fashion,
whilst capitalising on the distinctive assets that fashion can offer through the aesthetic and power of its identity.
The ethos of the course is to support a mutual learning environment where a sharing of knowledge, debate, support and questioning can inform all whilst nurturing a distinctive response from each individual. It provides an opportunity to interact with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion's strong research department which includes: Dr Kate Fletcher
-Reader in Sustainable Fashion, Prof Helen Storey - Professor of Fashion and Science, Prof Sandy Black - Director of Centre for Fashion Science, Prof Lucy Orta - Professor of Fashion Environment and Art and Dilys Williams - Director of Centre for Sustainable Fashion.

For more information contact: Hatty Whitworth at <sustainability(_at_)fashion.arts.ac.uk> or <h.whitworth(_at_)fashion.arts.ac.uk> (replace (_at_) with @)

Visit the course website 

Short courses

(2008) Developing Ethical Footwear & Accessories

This one day course looks at the use of chemicals on health and issues of the non unionised workforce. It also looks at the use of chemicals in the tanning of leather and the effect the waste product has on the environment and workers. Developing a green supply chain and looking at key legislation and its impact on the leather business is discussed along with. recycling, upcycling and ethical business models.

For further information contact: Fiona Campbell at <fiona_at_campbell6.wanadoo.co.uk> (replace (_at_) with @)