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Bernadette Coughlan

Bernadette Coughlan

Senior Lecturer

Nottingham School of Art & Design

Staff Group(s)
Fashion marketing, management and communication

Role

Bernadette Coughlan is a Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for the BA (Hons) International Fashion Business programme at Nottingham Trent University. She also contributes to the BA (Hons) Fashion Management course, bringing her industry expertise into the classroom.

Specialising in international education, Bernadette is committed to broadening global perspectives and creating international opportunities for students. Her background as a fashion buyer prior to entering academia enables her to deliver a unique blend of creative insight and commercial understanding.

Bernadette teaches internationally at the Hong Kong Design Institute, where she delivers the BA (Hons) International Fashion Business programme in collaboration with SHAPE and NTU. In addition, she serves as the Academic Exchange Coordinator for the Department of Fashion, supporting both inbound and outbound exchange students in gaining enriching, career-enhancing experiences.

Career overview

Before joining Nottingham Trent University, Bernadette built a successful career as a fashion buyer within the retail sector. She gained extensive experience across a wide range of product categories, working with a diverse supplier base and travelling internationally to source and develop product ranges.

Driven by a passion for people development, Bernadette now shares her industry expertise with undergraduate students. She has also played a key role in the advancement of Fashion and Retail apprenticeships, contributing to both learner assessment and the creation of relevant curriculum frameworks.

Research areas

Bernadette has presented research into age representation in Fashion Media. Current ongoing research into changing consumer behaviour post immigration.

Other research interests include:

  • Collaborative International Learning
  • Sustainability in Supply Chain
  • Technological developments in Fashion
  • History of Fashion
  • Local Fashion Cultures

External activity

Bernadette recently presented at the Fashion, Costume and Visual Cultures Conference in Croatia and is a strong advocate for international collaboration, actively welcoming opportunities to connect and engage across borders.

  • External Examiner at Bath Spa University for MA Business and Management
  • Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Sustainable Fashion and Textiles

Press expertise

Fashion Buying, Sourcing and Sustainability, Retail Environments, Diversity In Fashion, International Learning Environments, Consumer Psychology, Academic Exchange.

Course(s) I teach on