Role
Helen is a course leader for BA (hons) Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles and a module leader for the second year.
Academic placement Manager and industry coordinator for the BA (Hons) Fashion Knitwear Design and Knitted Textiles course. Collaborating and communicating with the NTU employability teams, supporting students with applications for placement /graduate employment, engaging with industry partners and developing industry links
Helen teaches across all modules within the course specialising in 3D knitwear garment development and construction. She also delivers workshops and seminars on sustainability and clothing longevity to second and final year students to encourage students to embed sustainability within their design practice.
Career overview
Helen has extensive experience within the fashion knitwear industry gained within manufacturing and supplier businesses where she established her expertise in knitwear design development, garment construction and mass production manufacturing. After studying Fashion Design at Loughborough College of Art Helen’s roles within manufacturing have predominately been in Fashion Knitwear design, supplying major retail stores including Next, M&S, and George at Asda in men’s, women’s and children’s wear. They have involved designing and developing first design samples to given trends and developing them into garments for mass production. Helen’s previous teaching experience includes posts in Further Education and Higher education as lecturer in knitwear, pattern cutting and garment construction.
Research areas
Active research interest in sustainability in the Fashion Industry and designing for clothing longevity. Helen has worked on clothing longevity research projects with the University’s Sustainable Consumption Research Group including a DEFRA funded projected on which involved the design and trialling of a tool kit for Industry and Educational use.
External activity
- External Examiner 2018 - 2022 at Leicester College/DMU
- FdA Fashion and Costume course
Press expertise
Knitted garment manufacture.