Pictured above: Jane Mills, Senior Lecturer in Fashion and
Textiles at The University of Northampton (right), with Sateesh
Jadhav from Gaitonde who donated some of the leather used by
students in the centenary fashion show, along with renowned fashion
designer Zandra Rhodes.
Over 250 visitors from the leather and fashion industries across
the world attended a special celebratory event at The University of
Northampton over the weekend.
A prestigious awards ceremony and fashion show at Park Campus on
Saturday evening was part of three days of activities in
Northampton and London, commemorating 100 years of leather
education at the University's British School of Leather Technology
(BSLT).
Plans for a cutting-edge Institute for Leather and Design
Futures were unveiled to guests during the evening, marking the
University's position as a global leader in leather education.
Complementary subject areas of leather, fashion and design will
bring together the Schools of Applied Sciences and The Arts to take
forward new courses and collaborative business projects. Almost
£5,000, including Government matched funding, was raised on
the night to support the plans.
The evening's fashion show featured designs by current BA (Hons)
Fashion and Fashion (Footwear and Accessories) students using
leather kindly donated by our supporters.
The event culminated in an award ceremony to honour the
contributions made to leather education over the last 100 years.
The full list of winners:
• Philanthropy and Support - The Leathersellers'
Company
• Special mention for Philanthropy and Support - Jonathan
Cooke
• Sustainability and the Environment - Richard Daniels
• Research - Tony Covington
• Innovation - Mike Redwood
• Design - Coach Inc
• Manufacturing - Tony Marriott
• Journalism - Bob Higham
• Special mention for Journalism - Shelagh Davy
• Education - Colin Jones
• Supplying the Industry - John Basford
• Lifetime Contribution - Robert Sykes
Weekend events also included leather conference 'Beast to
Beauty' at the Guildhall, Northampton. The conference was hosted by
Leather Wise Ltd and World Leather and supported by the University.
The event was followed by a gala dinner at Northampton Museum with
guest speaker Steve Pateman of Kinky Boots (2005) fame.
Delegates took a tour of the BSLT tannery, along with a visit to
the Leather Conservation Centre at Park Campus, the Leather in Life
exhibition at the University's Avenue Campus and to the Northampton
Museum. Some took part in a sightseeing tour around
Northamptonshire including a visit to Althorp.
The celebrations continued into Sunday with a trip to London for
breakfast with fashion design Zandra Rhodes, as well as a tour of
Bermondsey, where the original Leathersellers' Technical College
was established in 1909 before several mergers, relocations and
name changes brought it to be housed at The University of
Northampton's Park Campus as BSLT.
A reception and lunch at Leathersellers' Hall concluded events
and recognised the generous support of The Leathersellers' Company
to leather education over the last century.