Manchester Fashion Institute

We are proud to announce a new partnership between Manchester Fashion Institute and The Capri Holdings Foundation for the Advancement of Diversity in Fashion, launching a transformative new scholarship and mentoring programme. The Capri Holdings Foundation Scholarships in Fashion and Mentoring Programme will provide nine scholarships — six undergraduate and three postgraduate — to support talented students from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to study a range of fashion degrees at Manchester Fashion Institute. Alongside financial support, the programme includes a three year mentoring initiative connecting students with professionals from across Capri Holdings’ world renowned brands, Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors, to help prepare the next generation of diverse industry leaders. Professor Martyn Evans FRSA, Pro Vice Chancellor for Arts and Humanities, said: “Philanthropy has a transformative impact at Manchester Met and now we are excited to announce this important scholarship programme, which will develop new talent by providing enormous opportunities for students wishing to study a range of disciplines that cover the breadth of the fashion industry, from fashion design to communications and business.” The first students will join the programme in September 2026. https://lnkd.in/ekgkqtxc

The good news keeps on coming - news just in from Westminster Hall a mention of Fashion at The Manchester Metropolitan University's significant contribution to the UK fashion industry and the importance of fashion as a sector in Manchester with its rich heritage and amazing talent. Thanks to Afzal Khan CBE MP for bringing this to the attention of UK government. #fashioneducation #fashionresearch #fashioninnovation https://lnkd.in/eznSgvCW

We are seeking applicants for a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship specifically to carry out research at the interface of fashion, sports and engineering to explore product development for high performance apparel utilising innovations in product development, bio/next gen/smart materials, bonding and welding technologies for apparel production, advanced joining technologies, and fashion robotics. More information about the funding and application process can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eQCk7PvF Please share with your networks. Contact Liz Barnes for further information. Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport Tim Cable Carl Diver susan postlethwaite Robotics Living Lab PrintCity MMU Anita Mitchell Bamidele Adebisi MBE Liz Barnes

Omera Khan is one of our Manchester Fashion Institute Visiting Professors and we are immensely proud of her recent appointment as Chief of Staff, Strategy & ESG at DHL a global leader in supply chain and logistics. Fashion at Manchester Metropolitan University delivers education and research with impact across the whole fashion value chain. Our relationship with Omera and the connection with our global industry demonstrates our commitment to explore contemporary issues and real world challenges for fashion.

Manchester Fashion Institute is a proud part of The Manchester Metropolitan University as we celebrate this recognition as Modern University of the Year 2026 💛🖤🩵

Fantastic news! After achieving our best ever National Student Survey results, we've been ranked 7th in England for student satisfaction by The Times. As well as ranking 11th overall in the UK 🙌 Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ewXAJfuj

We were thrilled to see our student Emily Chesworth's work featured in Vogue Italia, “often regarded as the editorial vanguard of the fashion world,” as one cultural critic put it. This international coverage speaks to the strength of her collection which is bold, colourful and original 🌈

🎉 Graduate Fashion Week 2025 - A Week to Remember! 🎉 What an incredible week at Graduate Fashion Week 2025, where the creativity, talent, and ambition of The Manchester Metropolitan University students truly shone! From the official catwalk to industry pitches, our students demonstrated the passion and hard work that is at the heart of everything we do. 🌟 A special shout-out to Sarah Ajayi who took home the Gold Award for Best of GFW Catwalk and the FACE Excellence prize– an achievement that highlights the level of talent and dedication within our design programmes. 🏆 Additionally, Lucy Harrington-Rutterford earned the prestigious New Business Award, a testimamant to her deep understanding of fashion business, strategy, and entrepreneurship, gained through studying one of our industry-leading fashion business programmes and we are so proud of all the students who made it to the finals, including those who were shortlisted for industry awards like the Debenhams Commercial Catwalk Award, even securing valuable paid work placements Jake Bliss 👏 But the accolades don't stop there – with over 20 awards spread across multiple categories, our students proved their mettle in every area of the fashion industry. 🙌 It's also worth celebrating the hard work of the 25 student dressers who supported backstage, our second year students showcasing their work in the Zalando Circularity Masterclass, and the alumni featured in the Innovators of Tomorrow Showroom. We couldn’t be prouder of our students and the support from our amazing faculty, staff, and the Graduate Fashion Foundation team who made all of this possible. 🌟 Looking forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented individuals – the sky’s the limit There’s still chance to catch our graduate show here: https://rb.gy/owrtkb

As we look forward to welcoming PUMA UK to a new Manchester HQ, we are spotlighting one of the founding members of our Manchester Fashion Institute External Advisory Group Bernd Sauer. Bernd is the Senior Director of Accessories & Technical Development Apparel at PUMA, a leading German sportswear company and alumnus of The Manchester Metropolitan University. With over 30 years of experience in apparel and accessories product development and sourcing, he has worked for both Adidas and PUMA in various leadership positions. Since 2007, he has been living in Hong Kong, fostering strong inter-cultural connections with industry peers worldwide. Passionate about fashion, sustainability, and the digital future, Bernd leads the development of PUMA’s Accessories and Technical Apparel products, focusing on body and fit aspects. At PUMA he is a project lead and advocate for 3D product creation. His role involves ensuring quality, margin, and timeline targets are met, collaborating closely with various Business Units, and mentoring development heads. After gaining extensive experiences, Bernd enjoys and is dedicated about sharing his vast industry knowledge and adventures. His strategic thinking and problem-solving approach drive his success. Outside of work, he enjoys field hockey, running, hyrox, strength training, and yoga. Here at Manchester Fashion Institute we have many exciting research and education initiatives at the intersection of fashion and sport and Bernd plays a key role in helping shape our thoughts, creating opportunities and taking fashion further into new realms.

We're incredibly proud that six of our students have been selected to showcase their Adire-inspired collections at Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) 2025   In collaboration with AFWL, students developed both physical and digital collections inspired by Adire, a traditional indigo-dyed Nigerian textile rooted in Yoruba heritage.   The students celebrated Adire through experimental knitwear, structural reinterpretation, and embellishment, with references ranging from Savile Row tailoring to youth subcultures. Their designs aim to introduce this important heritage fabric to a global fashion audience.   Thank you to AFWL’s Samson Soboye and Anna Marie Benedict for visiting our campus and providing invaluable feedback. We look forward to seeing the collections on the runway this August.