UK-China Sustainable Fashion Industry-Education Cooperation Forum & Reception

Event Details

As global climate change and environmental issues worsen, the green and sustainable fashion industry has become a significant trend. In education, cultivating talents with green and sustainable concepts and technologies is crucial for promoting the industry's sustainable development.

The UK has a long tradition and rich experience in fashion design, education, textiles, and policy. China, as the world's largest producer and exporter of textiles and garments, has a significant textile industry with great market potential. Through Sino-British cooperation, we can jointly explore the future development direction of sustainable fashion.

The UK Department for Business and Trade, in collaboration with the China Fashion Week Organizing Committee, plans to hold the UK-China Sustainable Fashion Industry-Education Cooperation Forum and Reception on March 27 in the 798·751 D-Park in Beijing. This event aims to provide a platform for institutions, research organizations, and enterprises from both countries to exchange information and experiences, promoting cooperation in sustainable fashion education.

UK-China Sustainable Fashion Industry-Education Cooperation Forum (14:30 - 18:00, March 27, 2025)

Address: 751 Library (2nd Floor), 798·751 Park , Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.

UK-China Fashion Reception (18:30 - 21:00, March 27,2025)

Address: Gaga Restaurant, 751 Library(Ground Floor), 798·751 Park , Chaoyang District, Beijing, China.

Registration Guidelines

Please click the "Register" button above to register for this event.

Target Audience: Business leaders from companies, industry associations, and educational institutions who are interested in understanding the UK fashion education industry, exploring related industry investment opportunities, talent development, and industry-education collaboration.

Registration and Participation: This event is free of charge. However, due to limited availability, we will notify successful registrants via email after the registration deadline. Please present the confirmation email and the event QR code at the venue for check-in and participation.

Rental of Translation Equipment: Simultaneous translation equipment for Chinese and English will be available on-site during the forum. If needed, please bring your ID card to rent the equipment as a deposit and return it after the event.

Registration Deadline: March 24, 2025, 00:00

Agenda

March 27, 2025

UK-China Sustainable Fashion Industry-Education Cooperation Forum, Green Innovation: Leading a New Era of Sustainable Fashion Industry

14:30 - 15:00

Registration

15:00 - 15:10

Welcome Remark

15:10 - 15:25

Keynote Speech: Central Saint Martins: Collaboration & innovation in Regenerative Creativity

Hywel Davies

15:25 - 15:40

Keynote Speech: WE ECO VICUTU Ongoing Sustainability

Ye Chen

15:40 - 16:00

Keynote Speech: China British Cooperation in Fashion Education – Pearson BTCEC Application at CAFA International College

Di Jin

Chenchen Zou

16:00 - 16:15

Keynote Speech: Practice Sharing of Lancy in the Field of Green Fashion and Industry-Education Cooperation

Fei Yu

16:15 - 17:00

Panel Discussion: Fashion Education and Industry Collaboration: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Fashion

Melanie Robertson

Christina Dean

Yimeng Yu

Meimei Jin

Fang Huang

17:00 - 18:00

Networking Session/Matching-making Session

UK-China Fashion Reception: Connecting Talent and Inspiring the Future

18:30 - 19:00

Registration

19:00 - 19:10

Opening Remarks & Welcome Address

19:10 - 21:00

Networking & Buffet

Speakers and Panelists

Hywel Davies

Dean of M School (Fashion, Textiles, Jewellery and Materials) at Central Saint Martins

Ye Chen

VICUTU GORNIA Director of Design Center at Beijing Grand Fashion Group

Di Jin

Regional Head, BTEC International Qualifications and Training, Pearson Greater China at Pearson Education

Chenchen Zou

BTEC Lecturer at Central Academy of Fine Arts International College

Fei Yu

General Manager of LIME Brand at Lancy Group

Melanie Robertson

Head of Department, Nottingham School of Art & Design at Nottingham Trent University

Christina Dean

Founder & Chief Operating Officer of The R Collective

Fang Huang

Founder/General Manager of Giantextile (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.

Meimei Jin

General Manager at Beijing Hongdu Group Co., Ltd.

Yimeng Yu

Lecturer and fashion design director of Central Academy of Fine Arts, China

Hywel Davies is Dean of M School (Fashion, Textiles, Jewellery and Materials) at Central Saint Martins. With a career spanning over two decades, Davies has established himself as a thought leader in fashion, sustainability, and design innovation. His work is deeply rooted in the belief that fashion is not just an industry but a powerful medium for cultural expression, social change, and environmental responsibility.

With a background in fashion journalism Davies worked for London based style magazines and newspapers writing for GQ, Vogue, Wallpaper, Dazed, The Guardian and The Financial Times. He has authored several books Modern Menswear, 100 New Fashion Designers, British Fashion Designers, Fashion Designers' Sketchbooks, and FASHION! Central Saint Martins.

Since joining Beijing VICUTU in 2009, Chen Ye has served as the Director of the Beijing Grand Fashion Group Design Center, overseeing the design and development of the GORNIA, VICUTU, and RED VICUTU brands. During her tenure, the group's brands have gradually become industry benchmarks. From 2013 to 2014, She led the team in designing attire for national leaders at the APEC summit, earning a commendation for outstanding contribution. In 2018, She completed the "Double V Battle" collaboration release with Italy's VBC Group, marking the start of extensive international R&D cooperation. In 2019, she successfully launched the independent RED VICUTU brand, creating the culturally impactful "Shan Hai Jing" and "Shi Yi Lu" series. In 2022, she utilized XR technology to debut a groundbreaking virtual fashion show, causing a sensation in the industry and becoming the first of its kind in China. In 2023, she served as a judge for the China International Fabric Competition and the 50th and 51st China Popular Fabric Competitions. From 2020 to 2023, several of Chen Ye's products were recognized as one of the top ten textile innovation products in the country, and she has accumulated dozens of patents.

Regional Head of BTEC International Qualifications and Training at Pearson Greater China. She works with Chinese government departments, associations, schools and colleges, training providers and enterprises to provide integrated solutions on international skills education. She was a senior lecturer of BTEC Higher National Business in a university and also the Director of Study Abroad Department. Having taught hundreds of highly skilled international talents in her 10 years of teaching, she believes that BTEC's innovative teaching philosophy and pedagogy, which is based on real work scenarios, combined with the latest talent needs of the industry, assessed in the form of non-standardised exams, and focuses on applied skills development, provides an alternative route from traditional education to more students.

Chenchen Zou holds a BA in Knitwear Fashion Design from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, and an MSc in Economics and Project Management from the University of Bradford. As an independent fashion and textile designer, she won First Prize in the British SA Fashion Design Competition and worked behind the scenes at London Fashion Week. Her industry experience includes collaborations with renowned fashion companies such as Alexander McQueen, Sibling, and Nicomede Talavera etc. After a decade in the UK gaining extensive experience in the global fashion industry, she returned to China in 2017 and dedicated herself to art education. She has since mentored students who have been successfully admitted to prestigious institutions, including Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, Chelsea College of Arts, University of Westminster, and University of Leeds. At CAFAIC, she teaches fashion and textile design, combining industry expertise with innovative teaching.

Melanie oversees the undergraduate and postgraduate provision covering all things related to the fashion and lifestyle industry (excluding Design) covering the spectrum of the technical, logistical, commercial and communication aspects of fashion. Melanie is part of the School Executive team providing strategic leadership and professional development within the Nottingham School of Art and Design. She manages a large team of academics, researchers and practitioners providing opportunities for knowledge exchange, consultancy, research and pedagogic innovation.

Melanie is a member of UKFT, The Textile Institute and ASBCI. She also undertakes external examining and institutional reviews at other colleges and universities. Prior to transitioning to academia, Melanie held the position of Global Head of Product for Pentland Brands. With over 15 years of industry experience, Melanie has worked within the fashion and sports apparel, footwear and hard goods sectors.

Master's Supervisor at Donghua University, Executive Secretary-General of the First Council of the Fudan University MBA Alumni Association, and Director of the Fifth Council of the Shanghai Pudong International Chamber of Commerce.

With 25 years of experience in the clothing industry, the company he founded, Jida (Shanghai) Textile Co., Ltd., has developed a pyramid-shaped business structure. The low-end market focuses on clothing OEM/ODM exports, with products sold to more than 30 countries worldwide, advocating for sustainable clothing products in the global market. The mid-end market, under the brand "Jida Youyi," provides one-stop services for the design, development, production, and after-sales of professional attire for domestic enterprises and institutions. The high-end market, under the brand "Vezioni," offers high-end custom clothing services for political and business figures.

Since 2016, he has been collaborating with the School of Fashion and Art Design and the Institute of Professional Wear at

As the General Manager of Hongdu Group, Jin Meimei has consistently demonstrated an open and inclusive approach, actively integrating advanced design concepts and management methodologies. With exemplary leadership and a forward-looking strategic vision, she has utilized her acute understanding and distinctive perspective on fashion trends to steer Hongdu Group from a model of extensive management to one characterized by precision and meticulousness. While she emphasizes the company's economic performance, her greater focus lies on long-term strategic planning and brand development. This dual emphasis has allowed Hongdu Group to sustain a dynamic growth trajectory in the face of fierce market competition, bolstering its core competitiveness and establishing a robust foundation for the company's continued and accelerated advancement.

UK Department for Business and Trade

Contact us

UK-China Sustainable Fashion Industry-Education Cooperation Forum & Reception

Event Details

Registration Guidelines