Barbara Shepherd

Reader in Fashion Business

Barbara Shepherd

Reader in Fashion Business

Email: b.shepherd@mmu.ac.uk

Telephone: 0161 247 4618

I am a Reader in Fashion Business .

I work across the Manchester Metropolitan University with academic colleagues to deliver business development and research opportunities for industry partners and students.

I am a Commercial Director and Academic, with board-level experience of working in British fashion across all major UK High Street retailers specialising in co-ordinating and developing "New Business" opportunities for both Home and Garment textile multi-line manufacturing businesses.

I am recognised as a sector specialist for garment manufacture and with an experienced understanding of both UK and global supply chain management for the fashion and textile sector.

I have developed and run the Sponsored Masters Programme that was originally developed as a way of providing Employability Skills Training for Masters students in the Manchester Fashion Institute.

Academic and professional qualifications

Academic Qualifications

2014 MAAP – Masters in Academic Practice with Merit - Manchester Metropolitan University
2012 PGCAP – Post Graduate Diploma in Academic Practice- Manchester Metropolitan University
1988 BA(Hons) Home Economics - University of Ulster

Professional Qualifications

2018 CText FTI – Fellow of the Textile Institute

2017 SFHEA – Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority

2014 SFHEA – Fellow of the Higher Education Authority

2009 C.Text.ATI – Associate of the Textile Institute

Previous Employment

My background includes more than 25 years in garment manufacturing and supply, to the leading UK High Street retailers. This has involved bulk manufacturing of all major product sectors for the market leaders in the UK. I have extensive global sourcing experience and have worked with both UK and Off Shore manufacturers.

Undergraduate teaching

I teach on a number of undergraduate courses focusing on all of the aspects relating to Fashion Finance and the understanding of the global supply chain in relation to the industry sector.

Postgraduate research supervision

I work as an academic supervisor across the Masters Programmes at the Institute.

Projects and initiatives

Regional Initiative

2023 Textile lead for the GM Sustainable Textile & Fashion Group (Working regionally to address local textile waste challenges in the North West.
https://fashioninstitute.mmu.ac.uk/news/item/?id=15787

2016 - Present - University Initiative

Designed and developed a Sponsored Masters Programme (SMP) which is now on a university wide roll out plan which offers Taught Masters students invaluable opportunities to conduct “real-world” research and provides direct benefits for the companies that partner on the programme.

Contracted Projects

2024 Kuppd Phase 4 - Health Innovation Manchester -Funded by Innovate UK BUILD programme.

The purpose of this award would be to undergo the final prototyping and testing needed to launch Kuppd(r) as a minimum viable product in the post mastectomy and transfemme markets, improving on competitor product in areas of fit, environmental benefits and inclusivity.

2022 Kuppd Phase 2 - Health Innovation Manchester

To utilise 3D body scanning to produce suitable technical files, generated from a sample of post-mastectomy women, which could be used as an input file for 3D printing.


2022 Kuppd Phase 3 - Health Innovation Manchester

Phase 3 – Design and Prototyping of EBP (External Breast Prosthesis) Incorporating 3D Printing Technology.
The project will utilise 3D Digital Body Scan Data & Qualitative Data from Phase 2 & Proof of Concept from Phase 1.

2022 Gait Analysis for verification tests for the user requirements of Kymiras
Panthion smart garment ( Follow on KTP Work )
The project will involve a four-stage process which will include Participant recruitment - Pilot set up pre-data collection - Data Collection – Data processing


2022 Upcycling Festival Tents & NHS Curtains to provide a clothing solution for the homeless in Manchester - (Sponsored Masters Programme 2022)

2021 Manchester City Football Shirts (£9K Funded KE Evaluation)- Rekit -Upcycling redundant Manchester City football shirts to reduce paediatric distress and anxiety in hospital https://www.mancity.com/news/club/hospital-gowns-63755281

2020 NHS Redesign of PPE Plastic Apron (Funded KE Evaluation)-‘Fit for purpose’:

Exhibitions

2022 ExhibitionSubmission 

People of Manchester -Recycling redundant festival tents and NHS textile waste to design life-enhancing solutions for the homeless in Manchester, UK.

Futurescan 5: Conscious Communities-7th-8th September 2022-University of Leeds, UK

Consultancy and advisory roles

2021 Textiles 2030 - Appointed to the Policy Working Group https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/textiles/initiatives/textiles-2030 Expert-led initiative, harnessing the knowledge and expertise of UK leaders in sustainability to accelerate the whole fashion and textiles industry’s move towards circularity and system change in the UK.
2021 Governments Apprenticeship Programme- Appointed as an Independent End Point Assessor (Textiles & Fashion)
2021 Appointed to Steering Group for the Cabinet appointed PPE Cell –UK Make
2020 GMCA – Appointed to PPE Work stream of GM Recovery Plan post COVID
2020 EPSRC E Textiles Network –Appointed Chair of the Steering Group
2017 Government Appointed Textile Specialist Assessor
2016 Appointed garment CMT expert –Regional Growth Fund (RG6)

Government and industry links

PUBLIC SECTOR
HMPPS - Prison Industries – Textile Division
GMP- Greater Manchester Police
NHS - Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
GMCA -Sustainable Consumption Action Plan Team
Business Growth Hub - manufacturing and access to finance
AMPI -advanced machinery and productivity institute
https://www.ampi.org.uk/
InvestNI
Innovate UK
KTN -Knowledge Transfer Network -Textiles and Smart Materials

PRIVATE SECTOR


Retail -Fashion
Marks and Spencer
NEXT
Dunnes Stores
Speedo
Canterbury Sportswear
Puma
Kymira -Wearable Tech -Sportswear


Retail -Non Fashion
Autotrader


Manufacturers/Suppliers

English Fine Cottons

Charities
British Stroke Association

Trade Associations
Textile Institute
BTMA -British Textile Machinery Association
Textile recycling association
UKFT

Media appearances or involvement

2023 GM Fashion & Textiles Network

https://fashioninstitute.mmu.ac.uk/news/item/?id=15787

2021 – My response at MFI to the Pandemic

This has acutely raised my profile and that of the Manchester Fashion Institute in relation to my external profile and the role that Manchester Met has had in supporting the needs of the NHS to secure suitable PPE.I have developed strong working relationships regionally as a direct result of my work which I will use to the benefit of Manchester Met and the regional response for UK made PPE going forward
https://www.pat.nhs.uk/news/GM-Mayor-praises-Manchester-Metropolitan-UniversitysFashion-Institute-innovation-and-support-for-frontline-NHS-workers.htm
https://www2.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/?id=12271
MMU latest press release on Government policy related to recommendations for UK PPE
procurement going forward post COVID-19

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/12429

June 2020 MMU press release on Government policy related to recommendations for UK PPE procurement going forward post COVID-19

https://www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/story/12429/

May 2020 - Interviewed by BBC Radio Manchester re PPE response to COVID-19 pandemic

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08b4w10
Programme starts at 2pm so you will need to scroll through 2 hours to find 4pm news bulletins

Prizes and awards

Internal Awards

2010 – Shortlisted Outstanding Teaching for Employability
2012 – Nominated -Best Overall Teacher & Outstanding Teaching for Employability
2013 – Shortlisted Outstanding Teaching for Employability
2013 – Winner – MMU KEIF funding award -Fashion start Up Label -Andrea Zapp -The School of Art
2013 – Joint Winner – MMU Knowledge Exchange Award -Hollings Faculty-Fashion Start Up Label with Andrea Zapp -School of Art
2014 – Shortlisted Outstanding Teaching for Employability
2014 – Winner – MMU Knowledge Exchange Award -Hollings Faculty -Body Scanning Research for Fashion Retailing
2015 -Finalist UKTI- Greater China Achievement in International Trade Awards-Education Links Award
2015 – Winner – MMU Knowledge Exchange Award -Hollings Faculty -Body Scanning Research for Canterbury Sportswear

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

2017- Present  UK Government appointed assessor for Manufacturing

Membership of professional associations

2023 Textile lead for the GM Sustainable Textile & Fashion Group (Working regionally to locate a Textile Recycling Demonstrator plant in the NW-)

2022 - Appointed to the Steering committee of the Textile Institute

2021 - Textiles 2030™ - Appointed to the Policy Working Group https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/textiles/initiatives/textiles-2030 A Founding Signatory of WRAP’s science-led Textiles 2030 initiative,

2021 - Appointed to Steering Group for the Cabinet appointed PPE Cell – UK Make

2021 - Governments Apprenticeship Programme- Appointed as an Independent End Point Assessor (Textiles & Fashion)
2020 - Chair of the E-Textiles Network Steering committee www.e-textiles-network.com

2020 - GMCA - Appointed to PPE Work stream of GM Recovery Plan post COVID.

Research

Research Interests

Garment Manufacture
Fashion & Textile Waste
PPE - Pandemic Response
Fashion Sustainability
Wearable Technology

Academic collaborations

2023

• Sustainable Solutions for Textiles & Fashion Plus (SUSTAIN+) £2M Collaborative Bid with UoM

• The Future Fashion and Textiles Network (FFTN) £2M- Collaborative bid with Bristol University

2022 UKRI Circular fashion programme: recycling and sorting demonstrator - Innovate UK KTN

https://ktn-uk.org/opportunities/ukri-circular-fashion-programme-recycling-and-sorting-demonstrator/Textile Recycling Association +MFI/S&E /Psychology

2021 EPSRC Funded project with Imperial/RCA/MFI/ UoM /Kymira

UKRI - Adventurous manufacturing round one: follow-on funding SUSTEX: Sustainable Electronic Textile Manufacturing


2021 EPSRC Funded project with S&E

Manufacturing Made Smarter Innovation Hub – Digital Supply Chain
DISCOVER (DigItal_Supply_Chain_innOVation_nEtwoRk) hub’s vision is to drive UK manufacturing productivity by scaling the development of digital supply chains (DSC) technologies through an industry-led consortium providing an open network that will support innovation and provide specialist DSC expertise to all UK manufacturing sectors defined in the Made Smarter Review. DISCOVER will leverage its active role within the existing MS programme and involvement in foreign national programmes such as Germany’s Industrie 4.0, International Organisations (IIC) and international standards bodies (IEEE).

2021 EPSRC Funded project with S&E 

Sustainable additive manufacturing facilitated via an innovative Electrochemically driven depolymerisation technology (STAMPEDE)


2021 SBRI - Healthcare -NHS/MFI/GMCA/GMHSCP
Better PPE: Design, manufacture, and evaluation of fit-for-purpose personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare staff

2020 AHRC - MFI/HPSC/S&E/GMCA/MFT
Fit for Purpose: A regional model for co-designing, producing, and evaluating effective and affective PPE (FFP) Research and innovation ideas to address Covid-19

Grants

2023

https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/ukri-circular-fashion-and-textile-programme-networkplus/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

• Sustainable Solutions for Textiles & Fashion Plus (SUSTAIN+) £2M Collaborative Bid with UoM

• The Future Fashion and Textiles Network (FFTN) £2M- Collaborative bid with Bristol University

2022 UKRI Circular fashion programme: recycling and sorting demonstrator - Innovate UK KTN

https://ktn-uk.org/opportunities/ukri-circular-fashion-programme-recycling-and-sorting-demonstrator/Textile Recycling Association +MFI/S&E /Psychology

2021 EPSRC Funded project with Imperial/RCA/MFI/ UoM /Kymira

UKRI - Adventurous manufacturing round one: follow-on funding SUSTEX: Sustainable Electronic Textile Manufacturing
2021 EPSRC Funded project with S&E

Manufacturing Made Smarter Innovation Hub – Digital Supply Chain
DISCOVER (DigItal_Supply_Chain_innOVation_nEtwoRk) hub’s vision is to drive UK manufacturing productivity by scaling the development of digital supply chains (DSC) technologies through an industry-led consortium providing an open network that will support innovation and provide specialist DSC expertise to all UK manufacturing sectors defined in the Made Smarter Review. DISCOVER will leverage its active role within the existing MS programme and involvement in foreign national programmes such as Germany’s Industrie 4.0, International Organisations (IIC) and international standards bodies (IEEE).

2021 EPSRC Funded project with S&E (£1.3M)

Sustainable additive manufacturing facilitated via an innovative Electrochemically driven depolymerisation technology (STAMPEDE)

2021 SBRI - Healthcare -NHS/MFI/GMCA/GMHSCP
Better PPE: Design, manufacture, and evaluation of fit-for-purpose personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare staff 

2020 AHRC - MFI/HPSC/S&E/GMCA/MFT
Fit for Purpose: A regional model for co-designing, producing, and evaluating effective and affective PPE (FFP) Research and innovation ideas to address Covid-19

Exhibitions

Shepherd, B., 2022. Association of Fashion & Textile courses -Future Scan Futurescan 5: Conscious Communities 7th-8th September 2022University of Leeds, UK, University of Leeds, 7/9/2022 - 8/9/2022.

Book Chapters

Ledbury, J., Hall, N., Shepherd, B., Parker, L., 2018. 'Safer custody clothing: designing clothing for female prisoners at risk of self-harm'. In Functional Textiles and Clothing, Springer.

Conference Papers

Shepherd, B., Collins, S., 2021. 'Rekit -Upcycling redundant Manchester City football shirts to reduce paediatric distress and anxiety in hospital.', 25/10/2021 - 27/10/2022.

Shepherd, B., Croston, M., Jones, M., 2020. 'PPE Sustainable Design Evaluation in a Clinical Setting', The Second International Congress on Sustaianability in Textiles and Fashion, Institute Of Advanced Studies -University of Sao Paulo, 2/11/2020 - 4/11/2020.

Ledbury, J., Shepherd, B., Hall, N., Parker, L., 2018. 'Safer custody clothing: designing clothing for female prisoners at risk of self-harm', Functional Textiles and Clothing Conference, New Delhi, India, 9/2/2018 - 12/2/2018.

Presentations

Collins, SK., Shepherd, B., 2018. 'User Centred Design: Framework for Student Practice', Manchester Metropolitan University.

Office Location

Room C 2.39
Righton Building
Manchester Fashion Institute
Manchester Metropolitan University
Cavendish Street
Manchester M15 6BG

Office Hours

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday