Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Our partnership with Burberry
Leeds Beckett University's BA (Hons) Fashion Design course is in formal partnership with Burberry, which has given students direct access to one of Britain's leading luxury fashion houses throughout their degree.
The Burberry partnership has been delivered through Leeds Beckett's BA (Hons) Fashion Design course, an industry-facing degree at Leeds School of Arts that takes three years or four years with an optional placement year in the fashion industry offered to all students. Alongside the flagship tailoring project and professional portfolio module that have been delivered in partnership with Burberry, students build a full range of design and construction skills, from pattern cutting and garment construction to CAD, Clo3D and industry-standard tailoring, working towards a self-directed graduate collection in their final year.
Beyond the Burberry partnership, students also work on live briefs with partners including Oxfam and Fashion Alliance North. Full details on entry requirements, fees and how to apply are on the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course page.
A partnership rooted in Yorkshire
Leeds Beckett University formalised its partnership with Burberry in 2026, building on the success of a pilot launched in 2024. The partnership has been delivered through the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course at Leeds School of Arts and has created opportunities for students to gain industry insight and develop the skills needed to thrive in the creative sector.
The relationship is rooted in a shared connection to Yorkshire, bringing together Leeds Beckett's expertise in developing emerging creative talent with Burberry's heritage of craftsmanship and innovation. It also reflects Burberry's longstanding presence in the region, including its Leeds office and manufacturing sites in Castleford and Keighley. For students on the course, that regional link has translated into something rare in fashion education: direct access to a luxury heritage brand that designs, manufactures and employs on their doorstep, rather than partnerships mediated entirely through London or overseas.
This partnership gives our students a unique opportunity to engage directly with one of Britain's most iconic luxury brands, combining creative exploration with valuable industry experience. By responding to a live brief inspired by the Burberry trench coat, students are challenged to develop their own design voice while gaining insight into the craftsmanship, heritage and innovation that underpin the fashion industry. Experiences like this play an important role in preparing the next generation of creative talent for their future careers.
From live brief to graduate mentorship
The partnership has run across two stages of the course, each built around a different kind of industry contact.
In second year, students have taken on a live industry brief as part of the course's flagship tailoring project. The most recent brief, Reinventing the Trench: A Study in Craft and Form, challenged students to redesign and construct the Burberry trench coat using surplus gabardine – the fabric Thomas Burberry invented in 1879.
The project followed on from Burberry's landmark 'The Trench, Portraits of an Icon' campaign, marking the brand's 170th anniversary and celebrating the trench coat as a signature style that has long bridged function and fashion. Designs were presented and judged by Burberry colleagues at the brand's Castleford manufacturing site, with a Judges' Choice and a People's Choice award decided on the day, and both winners going on to work experience there.
In final year, the partnership has evolved into professional mentorship on graduate collections, with Burberry's manufacturing teams offering guidance that has helped students refine both their creative and professional practice ahead of graduating into the industry. Final garments and portfolios were judged by Burberry colleagues and showcased at Leeds Beckett's City Campus Fashion Studio, with the standout piece recognised through the Burberry Award – a prize that has combined industry recognition with a tangible next step into paid work. April Charlesworth was the 2026 award winner.
Yorkshire has long been an important part of Burberry's story, and we are proud to support the next generation of creative talent in the region. Through our partnership with Leeds Beckett University, we are creating opportunities for emerging designers to develop their skills, gain industry experience and build meaningful connections with the luxury fashion industry. By investing in local talent today, we are helping to strengthen the future of British craftsmanship, manufacturing and creativity for years to come."
Classroom to career
The partnership has given students a direct route into the luxury fashion industry while they're still studying. Winners of the second-year trench coat brief have undertaken work experience at Burberry's Castleford site, gaining hands-on insight into the design and production process behind the brand's Heritage trench. The Burberry Award, given for exceptional final-year work, has come with an embroidered gabardine certificate and a paid internship at Castleford.
Beyond the named prizes, students on the course have benefitted from live briefs, with support from Burberry throughout, offering insights and experience to help build a professional portfolio and industry contacts before, and beyond, graduation.
The partnership reflects Leeds Beckett's wider commitment to building strong business links across its courses, giving students the kind of real-world exposure that can help support graduate outcomes and a smoother route into employment.
