The University of Westminster hosted its first-ever What is Fashion? conference, bringing together leading academics, designers and researchers from across the UK and around the world to explore fashion’s social, cultural and material dimensions.
Held on 10 October, the event was organised by Lecturer in Cultural Studies Dr Hannah Rumball-Croft, Professor of Fashion Design and Director of the Westminster Menswear Archive (WMA) Professor Andrew Groves and the School of Arts. It featured keynote lectures, panel discussions and workshops examining fashion through theory, identity, digital culture and practice. The event drew participants from across the world, with speakers joining from institutions in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Colombia, New Zealand and the US.
Virginia Grose, Head of the School of Arts, opened the event and spoke on the University’s long-standing contribution toward and leadership in fashion education.
Keynote speaker Dr Lynn Wilson, designer, researcher and circular economy specialist, gave a talk about fashion’s transition towards circularity and sustainable production. Delegates then took part in sessions exploring topics such as fashion and the body, global fashion practices and digital embodiment. Archive tours of the Westminster Menswear Archive ran alongside workshops on fashion research and process archiving.
As Dr Rumball-Croft explained that the aim of the event was to create an inclusive, thought-provoking space that asked what fashion is and how it operates across contexts. She said that the enthusiasm and quality of debate from speakers and delegates made clear that Westminster was an exciting place to advance these conversations.
Reflecting on the success of the day, Professor Andrew Groves said: “This conference marked an important step in developing a new space for critical discussion around fashion at Westminster. It brought together a wide range of voices, from early-career researchers to established academics, and reflected the School’s commitment to connecting practice, scholarship and industry.”
The What is Fashion? conference will return in 2026 as part of a growing programme of fashion research events hosted by the University of Westminster.
Learn more about Fashion courses at the University of Westminster.
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