Scoping a new model for fashion education in the ‘real world’ Academic Lead: Torunn Kjolberg, University of South Wales Business Partners: Jemma Oeppen University of South Wales James Meller, A.J.M Sewing Tom Mees, KLM Retail Property Consultants/Capitol Shopping Centre
Project description This is a scoping project towards an ambitious, long-term and high profile project: a fashion label that will offer a new model for both education and business, run by staff and students in the Fashion and Retail Division at CCI (USW). The label takes our experience of live industry projects to its ultimate conclusion, giving students the opportunity to learn as supported ‘apprentices’ through following the full fashion cycle from concept and product development to production, promotion and retail. This new model will operate under a transparent, co-operative, ethical and sustainable ethos.
The project is aiming towards entrepreneurship, innovation, creative/professional collaboration and social regeneration. The project ultimately aims to culturally and socially enrich the region and integrate industry and academia in a pioneering way. The fundamental aim of this scoping project is to develop a business plan and strategy for the label, recognising the significant obstacles and challenges to this ambitious enterprise.
2014 Update This project set out to scope the potential for setting up and operating a University spin-out business in the form of a staff and student-led fashion label and retail outlet. The CEWN funded project has allowed us to formalise our relationship with our partner businesses on this project: AJM Sewing and KLM Retail and formalise a business plan and strategy to realise this long-term ambition. Further we identified a series of potential sources of funding and have met with a range of potential collaborators.
The project has been on hold due to the project leader being on maternity leave, but we aim to resume if there is support of staff and management. The interest and enthusiasm for this project from industry but also local and Welsh Government has been impressive.