13 Sep Learning About the Future of Fashion with Caroline Ash

As part of the Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) contract with Islington Council free masterclasses and workshops are provided to the designers and local residents of Islington. Today, 13th September 2022, we ran ‘The Future of the Fashion Industry’ seminar with Production Director, Caroline Ash before a full house of 24 attendees.   

Caroline has had over 40-years of experience working in garment manufacturing around the world. She has been at FEL for over 8-years and has transformed processes and procedures, so they are lean and SMART throughout the factories in London but also in FEL’s Welsh factory too. 

The agenda included: 

• Ethical production, including understanding what ethical production is and the things to look out for when visiting a factory.
• The advances in technology including the micro-factory and how this is far more sustainable with 3D pattern cutting and fitting, digital lab dips, computerised cutting, body scanners and sewbots!
• Sustainability and greenwashing and how you can make a difference.

Caroline Ash commented: “It’s so great to have a full live audience and I was so impressed with the questions being asked by the learners and designers here today. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of the FC Designer Workspace designers could attend today but we had a full house anyway!  

“The seminar was interactive and fun and the attendees really did dig down to ask questions about ethical printing, automation and the importance of fit and cutting. The Greenwashing section in particular was very well reviewed. 

“This is very much an enrichment exercise that FEL undertakes, and this is free to those that attend. Our view is very much that qualification attainment does not guarantee success for our learners and we want the learners to leave here business-ready. They need to be able to offer skills that they have learnt with us with a deep industry knowledge so they are highly employable. Thank-you to all that attended today and for making the classes so successful.” 

Feedback included:

“I have learnt a lot about the fashion and business. It was so informative and glad to have taken part in it.”

“I found out about the future of fashion, fabric testing, ethical products etc. An enlightening seminar.”

“I learnt a great deal of information, particularly new developments in the industry, supply chain.”

“I heard about how to develop my own brand. Thank-you very much.”

“I found out how factories work, what to look for and current tech involved. I would suggest some 5-minute breaks so we can process and the speaker can have a rest.”

“I learnt about the various ways that brands can use technology to provide a great service to their customers.”