Get Down And Get With It

Ollie's history is in creative and VM (visual merchandising) project management. His roles have included fixture and concept design, fashion communication, window schemes and mannequin management. As a young person wanting to go into fashion you might not be familiar with those roles but if you tap 'jobs in fashion' in your search engine you'll see more exciting fashion jobs in these areas, outside of the 'fashion designer' role. Ollie's story is such an unusual one and what a lovely guy. How does a boy who studied BA Menswear at Central St Martins end up switching courses to BA Fine Art and is now at a very important job? Many of you know I approached Primark Cares to offer 'no buy incentive' and completely free customisation workshops. I could see the influence they have over children from all backgrounds and how we could harness this to create a youth club feel whilst the teens took charge of their own sustainable wardrobe at a roots level. The team at Primark were so positive, totally up for it and you should see what the children have created from what they already have! As you can well imagine, Ollie's potential podcast created more interest and well-considered questions coming forth from teens than any other, thanks, everyone!

Want to get into fashion but don't want to be saddled with a £35,000 debt and possibly no job once you finish your degree? Well, an apprenticeship might be the viable answer for you. These days apprenticeships are exciting, relevant and get you straight into a fashion brand from the very start. The employment rate is very high as companies teach you the skills they need, so it makes sense to keep you on once your apprenticeship training has ended. We're very fortunate to talk with someone who knows all about them. Louis-Christian Pendegrass is a lecturer in Fashion & Textiles for Apprenticeships levels 2 to 5 at Fashion-Enter / Fashion Capital and he's going to tell us all about apprenticeships, how he got into fashion, his own rich industry experience and of course answer to all of your questions! @thefashionschooluk @_louischristian_

Do you ever worry that the fashion industry is full of nasty people waiting to rip you off and throw you out? Worry not, today we're interviewing the vibrant Katie Hopkins, only a year out of university who's now the Education, Communications and Events Manager at New Talent Fashion. We discuss how most people in the industry are approachable. Characters that you can have a chat and a laugh with as you work hard and successfully in a career you feel so passionately about. If they're not then they're still living in the past and still possess a mindset from the fashion dark ages and no longer relevant today. Listen in and enjoy hearing about Katie's own experiences. Katie's agency is a platform to empower and showcase new fashion talent, connecting creatives, graduates, and students with the fashion industry. Their support is extended through two subscription services – the Student Hub, a unique service for partners and education, and NTF Exclusive, a targeted solution for professionals to learn, progress, and stay informed on the ever-changing industry. @Kateh_ @newtalentfashion @thefashionschooluk

Have you thought about menswear in fashion? Men make up half the planet so if you want to learn more about fashion, then you need to know more about menswear! Today I'm talking with Maya Rutland who's at the end of her 2nd year on her Menswear BA at Westminster University - one of the top places in the UK if you want to study the subject and pursue a career in such a vast and important area of fashion. Plus, it's exciting! I've known Maya since she was a schoolgirl and had just started at Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton. Always level-headed, measured and very creative in all areas of art and design. Maya had the ability to choose whichever discipline she wanted, I thought she might go into jewellery, just goes to show how little I know! Listen in as Maya lets you into her world and tells you what it's like to study menswear. @mayarutland @thefashionschooluk

Laura Teasdale is a bespoke tailor who trained on the Saville Row. After studying fashion Laura persued tailoring through extra training, putting in her 10,000 hours into mastering the craft and internships. Working in a position which is historically male, Laura give us an insight into the difference of tailoring to fashion, especially bespoke tailoring. @thefashionschooluk @laura_teasdale

Julie is an artist whose roots are in fashion. Julie is another shining example of a creative whose work continues to influence art and fashion everywhere, yet her own entry into the industry was not conventional. Julie started as a design assistant at John Galliano but without a degree. I'll let her tell you all in detail as it is so enlightening and I'm sure it will help you as you encounter tricky stuff as you grow up. Her lovely cat joins in too, which makes it really feel as though you're in Julie's studio with her! Julie's an iconic fixture as a much-loved tutor at Central St Martins. I had so much fun interviewing her and she has some really thoughtful advice for all you young creatives out there. @julieverhoeven @thefashionschooluk

What is millinery and how do I get into it as a career? Welcome to Harvy Santos, Milliner and label owner since 2013. (Here's a clue into what millinery is....) Harvy is a member of the Hat Guild. He was also hat designer of the year 2013 and part of the British Fashion Council Headonism exhibition in 2015. During his interview, Harvy will take you into the world of millinery. How he got to where he is from being a dancer in Hong Kong. No foundation course or degree for Harvy, he explains how he couldn't afford to apply to the Royal College of Art and instead went to Kensington and Chelsea College, where he met like-minded committed millinery creatives and millinery skills. I met Harvy when I taught illustration and his talent, drive and can do and humble/noble friendly attitude made it obvious he was going to do well. Harvy will tell you you don't need bags of equipment to make hats. Millinery is surprisingly accessible if you have imagination and determination. Millinery can be for everyone and it is such a rewarding and personal creative process. The Fashion School hopes to collaborate with Harvy and The British Hat Guild to provide millinery as an integral part of one of the many aspects of fashion we'll be covering in workshops in late 2021. @harvysantoshats @thefashionschooluk

Jasmine Broadhurst is a first-year studying Fashion Knit at Central St Martins - here's her story so far! Jasmine came to The Fashion School from the age of 12 and she speaks of her experiences at her senior school, her fashion foundation course and onto her fashion knit degree. Jasmine discusses her interests and how she brings them into her work, why she chose to study Fashion Knit and how she builds her portfolio. We also discuss choosing the right course for you as there are lots of excellent courses out there! I interviewed Jasmine on the day of The White Show, a first-year project that unites the entire 1st-year fashion department, Jasmine's work was in the Monitus section. Jasmine answers questions set specifically for her by interested teenagers and she has lots of advice to give.

Parental advisory: Mild drug reference, so parents please listen first. What's a maverick? Dr Noki remains a wonderful example of what one is and how the industry is just now catching up with him. His signature brand mash-up of customised street couture started in 1996 when he was living in a very non-fancy Shoreditch. He was part of the Matches Fashion Innovators Platform with @jennykingembroidery in 2020, check him out @nokiofficial! Noki considers himself a collage artist ‘redefining how we dress today by reducing waste in fashion'. He's going to explain to you all about what is at his core. Oh, he's also taught with us at The Fashion School and all the children adore him as beneath the big man is a unique educator with a heart of solid gold. Noki will tell you about growing up in Aberdeen, being outed as gay at 14 in the middle of the Aids ignorance, to art school in Scotland. From there he takes us through the rave scene to where he is today and answers questions set by teenagers. Noki opens up in a totally honest and frank way. What to do in terms of mindset and behaviour when you're a young creative and how NOT to based on his experiences. @nokiofficial @thefashionschooluk

Dr Helen Goworek, BA (Hons), MA, PhD, SFHEA Are you academic at school? Do you love fashion and you would like to use your A* ability within the fashion industry? Helen started in buying and design management, we met whilst teaching together and she changed my entire outlook on the fashion industry. Lucky you lot, as she's sharing this with you whilst you're still at school! Helen's also written lots of books on fashion business, retailing and sustainability. Helen isn't an academic who has no industry connections, she's in the thick of it and very helpful in passing her connections onto me. Helen now teaches at Durham University focussing on buying behaviour, product development, sustainability, marketing communications and global marketing with an emphasis on sustainability. She also plays an active part within the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) community, both nationally and regionally. Helen is Chair of the British Academy of Management (BAM) Sustainable and Responsible Business Special Interest Group. I honestly don't know how she does it all and remains so calm, incredible! @thefashionschooluk

What's a fashion recruitment agency? How does it get people design based jobs and what jobs are out there anyway? For those of you who feel disconnected with fashion because you live in what you consider the middle of nowhere, Emma came from a little town in Tasmania, a small island state of Australia. Emma will explain how her world-renowned international recruitment agency works placing exceptional candidates into great jobs in the fashion industry and how she got to where she is. Emma didn't go to university, she had a tricky time as a teenager but she used her wits to make things happen. Spotted by Vanessa Denza in the early 90s, she went from being an assistant to head honcho. Emma's empathic straight speaking and engaging personality will put you at ease as she takes you through working in the very eye of fashion. So much to learn here from such an exciting area of fashion. @DenzaFashion @TheFashionSchoolUK

Rebeckah Apara is an Embroiderer, Connecter and Entrepreneur. In this episode, she gives us an enlightening story of how we can all mess up but what matters most is what we do next and taking ownership of our mistakes. In 2015 she started her own business, Embellished Talk, which has frank and interesting interviews with other textile designers. She also runs workshops teaching hand embroidery. Rebeckah discovery and love for embroidery has led to her holding fun and exciting workshops in collaboration with brands such as WAH Nails, Second Home, Ace Hotel, London Fashion Week Festival, Palm Vaults, Ganni, Nike and Anthropologie, to name a few. @embellishedtalk @thefashionschooluk

This is such a joy! Nigel Luck is one of the UK's most revered fashion tutors. His knowledge, expertise and empathic approach have made him a legend in fashion education. Nigel's taught the greats such as Sarah Burton, Hussein Chalayan, Christopher Bailey, Ashley Williams, Katie Hillier with graduates working at Gucci, Maison Margiela, JW Anderson and Alexander McQueen. He's going to tell you in much more detail but Nigel negotiated projects between companies such as Fendi and courses he ran whilst at Westminster University, Central St Martin's and London College of Fashion. Nigel now runs his own freelance design consultancy and offers private fashion design tuition and career advice to grads and postgrads, he'll explain how that works too. You might be expecting an austere and proud man based on his excellent legacy but you will be drawn in by his caring and open recollection of his own story from school to Royal College of Art and beyond. His advice to all of you comes from the heart as he answers your questions. He's also very funny, I hope you enjoy your time with Nigel as he enlightens you about his role within fashion. @nigel_luck @thefashionschooluk

What's pattern cutting? Pattern cutting is a really important part of the manufacturing process of a design. The role of the pattern cutter is to interpret an idea and draft it onto paper or digitally or to continue the design process as it develops into a garment on the mannequin stand. They're highly respected in the fashion industry as their expertise is a creative and technical skill at the core of fashion. Pattern cutting is part of the creative process and not apart from the creative process. There are many different approaches to pattern cutting and we're very lucky to speak with Alys Dinsmore who has worked as a successful pattern cutter on a freelance basis for brands such as Alexander McQueen. Alys tells her story, explains what pattern cutting is and how she set up her business after arriving in Sydney a year ago, amongst out of control bushfires and then the global pandemic. @unpicked.studio @thefashionschool-uk

Patrick is making big waves in the future of fashion by reinventing luxury through a sustainable mindset. Today he's here as a passionate advocate of creative education to inspire and inform young creatives. Burberry and Swarovski donated their unused fabrics and crystal to enable Patrick to draw on his Liverpool roots and create his signature future glam designs. Currently collaborating with the Italian brand Pinko to create an exciting collection using the brand's deadstock. Nominated by Anna Wintour for Stella McCartney Today for Tomorrow Award in 2019, and hosting the first-ever London Fashion Week Swap Shop. Patrick believes the best way to create a sustainable, authentic narrative in fashion is through your personal story. Nobody knows that better than you. @patrick__mcdowell @thefashionschooluk

Do you adore beautiful clothes but also really enjoy history and English at school? Is writing a natural form of creative expression for you? Rather than designing, do you enjoy the challenge of reporting about the wider-reaching sustainable fashion landscape? Yes? Then get your notebooks out and meet the wonderful Sarah Mower MBE who is a fashion journalist and a critic for US Vogue. Enjoy the podcast as Sarah answers the children's questions. A little bit more about Sarah and I'm skimming the surface here. Sarah's the British Fashion Council's Ambassador for Emerging Talent and chair of the NEWGEN committee. Look that up if you're not sure. Her visionary support of young creatives is beyond legendary and she is very much part of the rise of a new way forward towards a more inclusive and sustainable fashion future. Not only that, she supports The Fashion School and understood the concept from the start, how fortunate are we? There is something truly magical about watching Sarah playing with deadstock fabric and inspiring our younger students who know her only on the FROW with Anna Wintour. Lastly, Sarah's also a campaigner for much-needed scholarships for those who would otherwise have the talent but not the funds to move forward in these Covid 19 times. Top star! @sarahmower_ @thefashionschooluk

What is Public Relations and why is communicating a fashion story so relevant in fashion today? What's Sophie's role within fashion and how do you get into it? If you've ever heard of Fashion East, British Fashion Awards and Selfridges (for starters) then Sophie's involved. She grew up in a non-fashion environment and attended a school that only valued academia. Sophie reached out and made a lot of her opportunities happen. So can you! @weareraven @thefashionschooluk

Emma and Laura explain in a very honest way how as a duo they built such a culturally rich and sustainable label by honouring Emma's Bulgarian heritage and Laura's love of mountain climbing. As worn by Harry Styles in Vogue Dec 20. Graduates from Central St Martins BA/MA programmes, they explain how important grants, awards, bursaries and scholarships were to help finance their journey. @chopovalowena @thefashionschooluk

@halpernstudio Think Halpern, think Studio 54 megawatt luxury glamour and sublimely crafted fabrics. Empowering joyful garments that celebrate womanhood. Jodie Comer, Amal Clooney, Anya Taylor-Joy have worn his show-stopping creations on set and off. Michael tells us his personal story from growing up in the USA, attending college in NYC before Central St Martins MA programme and the importance of a team as he responds to the children's fashion questions. Michael also gives some caring and frank advice to any child who wants to go forward into fashion. Michael Halpern has also recently won a Community Award at The Fashion Awards 2020, in response to his contribution to the production of PPE for the Royal Brompton Hospital. @thefashionschooluk

A children's fashion information podcast using questions asked by passionate young creatives, who want to know more about the fashion industry. You are the future of sustainable fashion and the fashion world wants you to be equipped to make a positive change in the industry. Caroline Gration from The Fashion School takes your questions directly to industry professionals who tell it like it is. Designers, journalists, PR, fashion mavericks, tailors, etc, who want to enable our young creatives to get down and get with it. Children aged 10 - 16 send your questions to @thefashionschooluk