NTU Fashion Knitwear Students Achieve Industry Success Through AUBIN Collaboration
Live industry collaboration sees student work purchased, placements awarded and knitwear design selected for retail production.
Published on 7 October 2026
In September 2025, students from BA (Hons) Fashion Knitwear Design & Knitted Textiles began an exciting new collaboration with British menswear brand AUBIN as part of the Level 5 module Fashion Knitwear Industry & Contexts.
AUBIN visited Nottingham Trent University to brief students on the brand’s heritage, design philosophy, sustainable values and ambitions for future collections. Students were tasked with responding to a live industry brief by researching AUBIN’s customer, competitors and market position, before developing a fully illustrated six-outfit collection. Each student produced a knitted garment, a supporting range of technical samples and an industry-standard portfolio demonstrating concept development, design thinking and professional garment specification.
The project led to outstanding real-world outcomes. AUBIN purchased knitted samples from one student for future collection development, while two students secured placements with the brand. The winning design, the Trent Cardigan by Raita Chowdhury, has been fully manufactured and will launch in stores for Christmas 2026. Raita was involved throughout the development process, visiting the studio and contributing to decision-making as the garment moved towards production.
Claire Preskey, Senior Lecturer, Professional Development Tutor and Module Leader, said:
“This collaboration with AUBIN has been an exceptional example of authentic, work-related learning. The students engaged with a real LIVE industry brief, real constraints, and real professional expectations, and the quality of their work reflects that. Seeing students gain placements, have samples purchased, and even have a garment manufactured for retail demonstrates the power of industry-engaged learning and the strength of our Fashion Knitwear Design & Knitted Textiles course at NTU. We are delighted that AUBIN will continue working with us next year.”
Helen Silvester, Design Director at AUBIN, said:
“Working with NTU’s Fashion Knitwear Design students has been inspiring. The level of creativity, technical skill, and professionalism exceeded our expectations. We were particularly impressed by the students’ ability to interpret our brand values and translate them into contemporary, commercially viable knitwear. We are thrilled to be continuing this partnership and look forward to seeing more of their talent in future projects.”
Raita Chowdhury said:
“Having my design chosen for production has been an amazing experience, and seeing the ‘Trent Cardigan’ come to life has made me feel really proud of my work. My placement with AUBIN has taught me so much about the industry and has given me skills and confidence that I know will support my career moving forward.
“The Fashion Knitwear Design & Knitted Textiles course, and especially this module has prepared me brilliantly for working in industry. The combination of technical knitwear training, design development, and real-world projects has made a huge difference to my readiness for placement and my future career.”
The AUBIN project provided students with a highly authentic experience of industry practice. Through responding to a live brief, receiving professional feedback and producing work to commercial standards, students strengthened their technical capabilities, design communication and professional behaviours.
The outcomes were exceptional:
- AUBIN purchased knitted samples from one student.
- A short placement was offered to another student, contributing to the Certificate in Professional Practice award.
- The winning design, the Trent Cardigan by Raita Chowdhury, has been manufactured and will launch in stores for Christmas 2026.
- Raita has been offered a three-month placement, which will contribute to her Diploma in Professional Practice.
The success of this first collaboration has led to AUBIN continuing its partnership with the Fashion Knitwear Design & Knitted Textiles course for 2026-27, further enriching the course’s industry-engaged learning environment and providing future students with valuable opportunities to work on live industry projects.