Specialist Resources
At Manchester Fashion Institute
As well as the extensive range of equipment, machinery and spaces, there are also an array of specialist resources available on campus to fashion students including dedicated library resources, fabric and trimmings and archives of special collections and artefacts.
Dedicated Library Services & Special Collections
Manchester Fashion Institute have dedicated fashion library resources and a librarian available to students studying any fashion course. The online resource includes thousands of specialist books, eBooks, magazines, academic journals, and databases. The library’s print collection includes copies of Vogue magazine from the past 100 years, one of the best art and design print collections in the country and an exhibition catalogue showcasing recent and historic art and fashion exhibits. Students also have access to leading industry sources and fashion trend prediction services including Vogue Business, Vogue Archive, WGSN, EDITED, Mintel and Business of Fashion, all of which can be accessed remotely. The Fashion Subject guide contains useful information and details of the recommended resources to support your studies.
Students also have access to the Special Collections museum which includes unique source material such as 18th, 19th and 20th century fashion plates, Decorated papers, including marbling and batik, 3D printed textiles and biomaterials, and the Malcolm Garrett Vivienne Westwood collection of over 100 pieces covering Westwood’s infamous “punk” era when she collaborated with Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren to create clothes for their notorious boutique, Seditionaries. Students can book an appointment or drop-in on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a chat with the special collections team about any of their artefacts or pieces.
Resource Centre
Located in Cavendish building the resource centre is available to students, providing them with a great choice of supplies. The Resource Centre has been set up to provide students with equipment and sampling services, without having to leave site. We aim to offer services and equipment free of charge to students, as most things are donated from industry. The resource centre is a totally non-profit resource, so if on occasions, students do need to pay for equipment or fabrics the cost is minimal.
There is also additional resources in the Benzie building including a fabric store and the A4 and More store where you can purchase equipment at a heavily subsidised rate.
The Fashion Archive
We have an extensive range of garments and accessories in our fashion archive, located in the Cavendish Building. The collections are made up of past graduate final collections, and industry donations. Covering mens and womens wear across the following categories: Sports & Technical, Military, Workwear, Denim, Underwear and Accessories. The archive is onsite and set up to help students study garment construction, detailing and garment finishing. Items can be booked out via the technical services team.