Showcasing our passion for fashion

The University of Northampton showcased the glamorous work of its fashion and footwear students to industry experts at a runway show on Thursday.

The catwalk show in the beautiful gardens of Holdenby House exhibited fashion, textiles and footwear collections from this year’s recent graduates.

Guests included representatives from the British Footwear Association, Dr Martens, Joseph Cheaney & Sons, and ECCO.

The event precedes the University’s move to its new town centre campus in 2018 and development of the new International Leather Centre (ICLT) that will be housed on the site of the former Vulcan Works site on Guildhall Road. Presentations were given by the University’s Vice Chancellor Nick Petford and ICLT Director Rachel Garwood about the move will mean to the town centre.

Rachel Garwood said: “The new International Leather Centre will become the global epicentre for leather expertise, from ‘the hide to the high street’.  We will be engaging with other University  subject areas such as science, technology, fashion, design, marketing and business, coupled with close relationships  with specialised areas within Northampton such as Moulton Agricultural College, the Leather Conservation Centre, the National Leather Collection and, of course, the local leather industry. No one else is positioned to offer this level of expertise worldwide.”

Professor Nick Petford added: “The move to the former Vulcan Works site and the creation of the new International Leather Centre in the town is part of a bigger campaign to raise the heritage profile of the county of Northamptonshire – not just nationally, but around the world.