End of Year Review
2025 has been a year of depth, continuity, and renewed purpose — shaped by teaching, research, collaboration, and creative practice.
Below is a reflective overview of the year’s key moments.
January
The year began grounded in teaching and research, continuing my roles as Senior Lecturer in Fashion Artefact at the University of the Arts London and Senior Lecturer in Fashion & Textiles at the University of Portsmouth. This period offered valuable space for recalibration and a renewed commitment to practice-led pedagogy.
February
A creatively rich month. Sónia Baptista presented Louise, Desdormir a Desoras at Kindred Spirit, Lisbon (6–8 February), featuring my costume design and continuing our long-standing collaboration. I also contributed a written piece to The Conversation, reflecting on Dries Van Noten’s legacy, authorship, and longevity. This month also marked the beginning of my PhD supervision of Victoria Jowett, alongside my ongoing supervision of Alice-Marie Archer and Helen O’Sullivan at the University of Portsmouth. It was also the moment when MA Fashion Artefact students presented their work-in-progress, marking an important milestone in their academic journey.
March
A period of momentum and focus, balancing teaching, mentoring, and research development. I participated in the IFFTI Conference (24–28 March), contributing to a panel on craft and cultural heritage and presenting collaborative work developed with MA Fashion Artefact students. I also took part in a multi-institutional research paper on sustainability in fashion education with Noorin Khamisani, Corinna Joyce, Karen Ryan, Carolina Quintero Rodríguez, and Daphne Mohajer.
April
Engagement in interdisciplinary research and collaborative development intensified, particularly around sustainability, material practice, and pedagogy. This period also included portfolio reviews and interviews for the MA Fashion Artefact programme.
May
An intense yet rewarding month focused on assessment and supervision, supporting students through critical stages of reflection, refinement, and resolution in their work.
June
Continued engagement with academic networks through examining and research exchange, alongside sustained writing and project development. I also served on academic appointment panels at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Lisbon for two new positions of Assistant Professor.
July
This period marked the beginning of new research collaboration with Naomi Filmer, centred on material-led pedagogies.
August
A time for reflection and preparation for forthcoming exhibitions, publications, and international presentations — alongside much-needed rest.
September
A particularly significant month:
– I began supervising my first PhD candidate at London College of Fashion.
– A garment from my collection Monochrome Feelings (2003) entered the long-term exhibition Para Que Servem as Coisas? at MUDE – Museu do Design e da Moda, Lisbon.
– I acted as reviewer for the chapter Exploring Sustainability Narratives Among Design Students in India for Shaping the Future of Fashion: A Research Companion (Routledge) alongside the Journal of Fashion Practice.
October
A highly active and productive period.
– Together with Naomi Filmer, I submitted Thinking Through Making: Material-Driven Design Pedagogies to IFFTI 2026.
– A second paper, Uncovering Students’ & Educators’ Perceptions of Sustainability in Global Fashion Education, was developed with an international research team.
– Two Men Hug (2011) and documentation from Fac Simile (2008) were exhibited at MAC/CCB as part of Avenida 211.
– Sweat, Sweat, Sweat by Sónia Baptista, featuring my costume design, was presented at the Kent Tiyatro Festival.
– I delivered the keynote Rooted in Place: Cultivating Sustainability Through Locally Embedded Design Education at the Universidade da Beira Interior, Portugal. This keynote was based on a paper delivered the previous year at the Making Futures Conference: Beyond Objects: Materiality at the Edge of Making (Oct 2024).
November
A period of consolidation and reflection, advancing research outputs, mentoring postgraduate researchers, and shaping longer-term academic directions.
December
The year closed with gratitude — for students, collaborators, and colleagues; for shared knowledge and collective generosity; and for the ongoing privilege of contributing to education, research, and creative practice.