Thursday 29th May 2025

Thursday 29th May 2025

Our next

Annual Symposium

44 : 19 : 21 : 14

The Association for Fashion Business Employability (AFBE) is a unique collaboration between some of the UK’s top fashion schools and forward-thinking industry partners, designed to support students towards exciting and purposeful careers in the fashion business industry.

Our next

Annual Symposium

44 : 19 : 21 : 14

The Association for Fashion Business Employability (AFBE) is a unique collaboration between some of the UK’s top fashion schools and forward-thinking industry partners, designed to support students towards exciting and purposeful careers in the fashion business industry.

Our next

Annual Symposium

44 : 19 : 21 : 14

The Association for Fashion Business Employability (AFBE) is a unique collaboration between some of the UK’s top fashion schools and forward-thinking industry partners, designed to support students towards exciting and purposeful careers in the fashion business industry.

What is AFBE?

What is AFBE?

What is AFBE?

The Student Business Awards

The Student Business Awards

The Student Business Awards

Introducing the Panel

Introducing the Panel

Introducing the Panel

Get to Work
Online Panel Talk

1:00pm - 3:30pm

Wednesday 12th February 2025

Join the discussion as great minds from the world of fashion business and recruitment come together to help YOU secure work placements and graduate roles.

2024 Event
Industry Panel Discussion

This session includes voices like Anna Scott, a data analyst specializing in MLOps, Cecily Rooney, a sustainability manager, and several other leaders in areas ranging from digital merchandising to AI and supply chain management.

Our panelists will dive into key topics like sustainability, digital transformation, and the future of fashion industry opportunities. Whether you're a student, industry professional, or simply a fashion enthusiast, this discussion is packed with valuable perspectives and ideas that aim to inform and inspire.

Meet the team behind The Association for Fashion Business Employability

Justine Davidson

NTU

Justine is a founding member of the AFBE, and Principal Lecturer at Nottingham School of Art & Design, leading the BA (Hons) Fashion Management and International Fashion Business courses. She specialises in fashion retail and management strategy, actively building on her wide industry knowledge.

Zoe Hinton

LCF

Zoe Hinton is the Course Leader for the Fashion Buying and Merchandising course at London College of Fashion. She has an extensive background in retail, having spent almost 15 years in industry across various retailers. She ran buying teams at House of Fraser and New Look, managing the departmental finance to repeatedly deliver record profits.

Joanne Lewis

DMU

Joanne is an entrepreneurial Omni Channel Buying Manager with global brand experience including PVH and Gstar. I have a strong proven track record of business and market growth and strong stakeholder relationships. Expert in vertical and brand buying, being a brand ambassador and an inspirational leader developing merchandising and supply chain strategies.

Maria Malone

Fashion Business Hub

Maria worked in the fashion industry for 20 years as group head of quality in a major international retailer before moving on to education, where she was Principal Lecturer for the Fashion Business Division at MMU for seventeen years. An award-winning lecturer on employability and a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Chartered Manager.

Anthony McGrath

UAL

Anthony McGrath is the Course Leader for the Fashion Marketing BA(Hons) Programme at The London College of Fashion (part of UAL). His experience stretches over twenty years and encompasses Journalism, Styling, Marketing, Communications and Education. Over the years,
Anthony has styled campaigns for clients including Emporio Armani, Lacoste and Marks & Spencer.

Helen Payne

DMU

Helen is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education, founding member of the AFBE and subject leader in fashion buying, management and business at De Montfort University.

Her expertise lies in the technicalities of product development with a career spanning from the production line to design office.

Adam Shaw

NTU

Adam is the School Employability Manager for the Nottingham School of Art & Design. In this role, Adam oversees the employability strategy for the School, including influencing course design, and the implementation of careers coaching, placements, and support into the graduate labour market.

©2025 Adapt-ive. All rights reserved.

©2025 Adapt-ive. All rights reserved.

©2025 Adapt-ive. All rights reserved.