Leeds Fashion Futures and The RSA

To launch our Leeds Fashion Futures Week, we hosted a Facebook Live conversation with Josie Warden and Nat Ortiz from The RSA.

The RSA have worked closely with us to develop the #LeedsFashionFutures project - and also provided funding for the project.

The conversation, hosted by Peg Alexander, explored how the project fits with a bigger project that The RSA have been running - called Regenerative Futures - which is exploring a future where humans thrive as part of the Earth’s ecology.

The RSA were keen to work with us in order to explore what a "place-based" approach to working on issues around clothing, fashion and the circular economy might look like.

They were interested in Leeds in part because of our previous Zero Waste Fashion work, but also because of Leeds' rich clothing and textile heritage.

How can we explore and reflect upon that history - to help us to imagine what the future could look like - in relation to clothing and fashion?

Throughout our Leeds Fashion Futures Week we'll be exploring in more detail some of the key themes that have emerged through the project - specifically around heritage and tradition, skills & resources, and valuing our clothes.

Some of the events we have lined up this week include:

A talk about Sir Montague Burton, one of the key figures in the history of clothing in Leeds

A conversation with Cllr Denise Ragan, from Leeds City Council

The launch of our improved Zero Waste Fashion map

Exploring the impact of our Leeds School Uniform Exchange project

A live Q & A on sewing, craft and sustainability

We'll also be sharing lots of stories & short videos, alongside plenty of top tips on the practical things we can do to make more sustainable clothing choices.

And we'll be launching a Leeds Textile Trail - helping to tell some of the great stories in Leeds rich clothing and textile past.

Keep an eye out on our social media - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn - for more during #LeedsFashionFutures Week.