FAshion alliance north (fan)

The Fashion Alliance North initiative launched in June 2025, at The Leeds School of Arts, and in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University. From its broadest perspective, Fashion Alliance North is a long-term multi-institutional initiative, involving regional educational and industry partners, grassroots associations, and governmental organisations who implement public policy. As well as facilitating academic research, this network supports emerging graduate fashion designers and creatives by connecting them with the industry.

Fashion Alliance North aligns with the RSA’s Creative Corridors Report (2024). Sam has been in conversation with Jude Kelly (CBE), Scoping Chair of the One Creative North Report (May 2025) and, in response to this report, Sam has been invited to contribute to the West Yorkshire Creative Industries Cluster Action Plan, led by the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin.

In terms of research specifically, the short-term strategic aim for FAN is to develop research into the histories, traditions, and cultural specificity of fashion situated in the North of England and broader Northern regions.

• the match-funding of a Leeds Beckett Fashion x Fashion Revolution collaborative zine, titled Sewing the Seeds: Fashion Activism in the North of England, spearheaded by Dr Richard Hudson-Miles. The magazine can be purchased here.

Fashion Revolution are the leading organisation campaigning for a more ethical fashion industry. Their Fashion Transparency Index has become the leading tool to force the world's fashion brands to be more transparent about their social and environmental efforts. Fashion Revolution also organise Fashion Revolution Week. This is an annual campaign event which brings together Fashion revolution's 75 country network for seven days of activism. Sewing the Seeds has become a catalyst for future projects with Fashion Revolution. 

• Following the launch of Fashion Alliance North in June 2025, Sam is organising, facilitating a Fashion Alliance North Symposium, hosted at the Leeds School of Arts, scheduled for Autumn 2025.

• A £15k HEIF-funded proof-of-concept project, Re.Pair Lab, secured by Sam, for a collaborative Leeds Beckett Fashion x Oxfam 6-month sustainable fashion project that will be showcase as part of Oxfam’s 2025 Second Hand September initiative. The project involves LBU Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing students working onsite at Oxfam WasteSaver, Batley to produce upcycled fashion pieces from donated stock that is not in a satisfactory condition to be sold on through Oxfam’s shops, or online store. Oxfam Wastesaver is the North’s only textile recycling plant, receiving in the region of eighty tonnes of waste textiles per week.