MA Fashion celebrated at Creative Industries Festival

From experimental textiles to digitally imagined garments, the University of East London’s (UEL) MA Fashion students brought innovation to the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability on Thursday evening, captivating audiences at a showcase staged as part of the School of Arts and Creative Industries' annual Creative Industries Festival.

The event drew a wide audience of industry professionals, peers, and members of the public, who moved between displays, spoke with designers about their inspirations, and discovered the stories woven into each collection. Far from a traditional catwalk show, the evening offered a chance to see not only garments but also the philosophical thinking and research that informed them.

MA Fashion at UEL offers both a one-year MA and a two-year MFA route, designed to fuse creative practice with professional development. The course places strong emphasis on sustainability, research-driven design, and routes to market, with modules ranging from business planning to industry collaboration. Students learn how to situate themselves in a global fashion landscape while honing technical, conceptual, and professional skills.

That ethos was reflected in the work on display. One student explored the colonial history of suiting, reinterpreting it with traditional Indian embroidery motifs. Another experimented with regenerative materials. Each project felt deeply personal, layered with research and meaning, while pointing to wider conversations in fashion today.

Speaking at the showcase, MA Fashion course leader Wesley Hartwell praised the standard of work from this year’s cohort:

This is the strongest cohort we’ve had. Every student came with an openness to try new things - from bio textiles, digital fashion and the exploration innovative flexible solar panels in collaboration with UELs Renewable Energy Lab, and that curiosity drove the remarkable outcomes you see here tonight.”

Partnerships with the Mayor of London’s Sports and Civil Societies, and industry figures such as Dr Keith Cheng, General Manager of major sportswear brand China Li Ning, underpinned this structure, fusing cultural awareness, creative innovation, interdisciplinary design, industry relevance and human wellbeing. 

For students, the showcase marked a culmination of this journey: a chance to demonstrate not only their collections but also their ability to present ideas professionally to industry audiences.

Speaking about how the course has shaped her as a designer, MA fashion student Rojin Davallou explained,

Before this course I would just have an idea and make the garment, without really researching. At UEL I learnt how vital both primary and secondary research are, and how much value there is in the development process. The tutors encouraged us to focus on how ideas evolve and change, which completely shifted the way I work. My process book ended up at over 100 pages – because now, even more than the final outcome, it’s the journey and creativity behind it that matter most to me.”

Reflecting on his experience, MA Fashion student Greg Ox’ Morka said,

“UEL has such an inspiring atmosphere. I visited other universities before choosing my MA, but here I found amazing teachers, a supportive cohort and excellent facilities. The course has pushed me forward, helping me focus on my craft and clarify where I want to go next. I hope to work with a haute couture house, creating unique, made-to-measure pieces that reflect my belief in sustainability and stand firmly against fast fashion. Ultimately, I want to keep developing my practice, explore upcycling, and perhaps even pursue a PhD.”

The event highlighted that graduates leave UEL with not only portfolios but also the adaptability, curiosity, and collaborative spirit to help shape fashion’s future.

Course leader Wes added,

“What makes this group special is their adaptability. They’ve learnt to collaborate, to experiment, and to bring creative and professional thinking together - skills that will allow them to refresh and reshape the industry in years to come.”

This showcase also serves as a prelude to what’s next. UEL is one of only a select few universities invited to present at London Fashion Week, which runs from Thursday 18 to Monday 22 September 2025. As one of the world’s four major fashion capitals, LFW is an industry-leading platform where global media, buyers and designers converge. For UEL’s MA Fashion students, it represents an extraordinary opportunity to share their ideas and collections on an iconic stage, demonstrating not only their creativity but also their readiness to take their place in the international fashion industry.