Liverpool Fashion Summit took place from the 9th to the 11th of September 2020, and was funded by the NWSSDTP via the Northern Fusion Fund. Postponed due to the pandemic, it was hosted online. As a student-led event, it provided a platform for businesses, consumers and academics to debate and discuss industry trends and best practice, raise awareness of the key barriers to change, and look to ourselves to explore the part we can all play.

What did you miss?  

On Wednesday, we talked about modern slavery with Anu Menon (CEO of Freedom Row), Rachel Wilshaw (Ethical Trade Manager of Oxfam GB), Isabella Tonelli (CSR Coordinator at Vivienne Westwood), Dr Amy Benstead (Lecturer at University of Manchester) and Anna Bryher (Director of Advocacy at Labour Behind the Label). We also hosted a workshop with SewEasy Sewing Classes, where we discovered three upcycling projects with jeans.

On Thursday, it was circular economy day and we were joined by Dr Helen Goworek (Associate Professor at University of Durham), Stephen Sykes (co-founder of 2030 Hub and chair of Circular Economy Club – Liverpool) and Fee Gilfeather (Head of Audience and Strategic Planning at Oxfam GB). Kristy, the founder of The Liverpool Weaving Company, showed how to weave with recycled material.

On Friday, we listened to the views on sustainability of Kate Roche and Sarah Obrien (Make Thread founders and alumni of the University of Liverpool), Jennifer Davies (Co-founder of Nabil Nayal and PhD researcher at the University of Liverpool), David Connor (co-founder of 2030 Hub), Kate August (owner of MiApparel) and Rhi Jones (owner of Reins Clothing). The round table was facilitated by Kerry Bannigan, founder of Conscious Fashion Campaign and founding member of the UN SDG Media Zone. Plus, we learned about creative mending with Rachel (SewEasy Sewing Classes) and some tips on sustainable consumption with Tena Lavrencic (Thinking.Threads)

We also had a competition, The Sustainable Fund, to promote initiatives that engage with sustainability. The winners were Mary Lamb and her project Circle-ist and Sarah Rafferty and her project Three Sisters. Each initiative received £500.

We also collaborated with Oxfam GB and their initiative #SecondHandSeptember. We organised a fundraiser to collaborate with their Coronavirus Emergency Response Appeal in Bangladesh, one of the main suppliers of the fashion industry. You can still take their pledge or donate to their cause, check their social media (Instagram and Twitter).

Did you miss it? Don’t worry, all the videos are available on the LFS YouTube channel. Follow us on Instagram or Twitter to hear about future events. We are currently collaborating with Million Stars to make and donate face masks in the city. Would you like to join us? We are looking for two like-minded students at any level of study who want to make a difference in the fashion industry and tackle grand challenges. Specifically, we are looking for social media and digital skills, but above all we wish to work with like-minded people who want to be part of an ambitious and energetic team.

If you are interested in finding out more please visit www.liverpoolfashionsummit.com or find them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/liverpool_fashion_summit/ and if you would like to join the team, please email j.marcet-alonso@liverpool.ac.uk to arrange a friendly chat.