Gavin Douglas is the Programme Leader of the BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology programme and is also the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for the Manchester Fashion Institute.

Douglas has professional qualifications and training within the Higher Education (HE) sector and the global fashion and textiles industry; this has provided him with a unique breadth of contemporary knowledge and experience of fashion design culture and pedagogy. Douglas has a vested interest in race equality, diversity and inclusion and is passionate about developing the cultural awareness and EDI knowledge of HE stakeholders through engaging with purposeful dialogues.

Academic and professional qualifications

PhD Fashion – in progress
MA Fashion
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Institute of Leadership & Management, Leadership and Management Programme - Red Thread
Professional Graduate Certificate in Post-compulsory Education (PGCE)
BA (Hons) Fashion

Previous Employment

Gavin Douglas Fashion

Douglas’ fashion industry experience is seated in the conception, production and management of his eponymous multi-award winning, high-end womenswear fashion line. The brands collections have been presented across various international catwalk shows and exhibitions including London Fashion Week – on schedule, Paris Fashion Week, Barbados Fashion Week, Caribbean Fashion Week in Kingston Jamaica. The line has been featured within the world’s most influential fashion and lifestyle publications including Harper’s Bazaar, Tatler and British Vogue.

Higher Education Lecturing Experience

Senior Lecturer – University of Northampton
Senior Lecturer – Sandwell College
Senior Lecturer – The Bedford College
Associate Lecturer – Coventry University

Prizes and awards

Red Thread Fellow of the Year Award
Red Thread Partnership
Awarded for demonstrating excellence in leadership, management and collaboration.

Deans Academic Excellence Award
Middlesex University
Received an academic scholarship award for demonstrating academic and professional excellence.

The Originator Award
Smirnoff | Caribbean Fashion Week
Awarded with Caribbean Fashion Weeks Smirnoff Originator Award for excellence in Caribbean fashion and design.

Caribbean Master Designer Award
Caribbean Fashion Week
Awarded the Caribbean Master Designer Award - a symbol of outstanding achievements and accomplishments in fashion, by Pulse International Management, Jamaica.

Fashion Fringe Award
IMG UK
Awarded first place by Tom Ford; judges included Sarah Mower, Hilary Alexander and Nick Knight. The award was established by fashion journalist Colin McDowell MBE and IMG UK to support emerging UK fashion design talent.

Young Avant-Garde Designer of the Year
The London Fashion Forum
Awarded with the Young Avant-Garde Designer of the Year Award in central London
Sept. 2004

Membership of professional associations

Fashion Academics Creating Equality – Council Member
Graduate Fashion Foundation – Academic Trustee

External examiner roles

University of East London, BA (Hons) Fashion 2022 – Present

Press and media appearances or contributions

Key Editorial 2004 - 2020

• Drapersonline.com
• Harpers Bazaar
• Korea Collections Book
• Mia – Italy
• OK!
• Vogue - Italy
• WWD
• In Style – Spain
• BBC
• SHE Caribbean
• Skin Wallpaper – Thailand
• Yo Dona – Spain
• Elle
• Hot 10 – e-newsletter
• Elleuk.com
• Voice-online.co.uk
• Vogue.com
• Elle
• Collections
• Grazia
• Le Point – France
• Tatler Mood – Italy
• Vogue – Russia
• Amelia’s Magazine
• Book Moda Donna Collezioni
• De Luxe – France
• Elle If Magazine – Ireland
• Vogue UK

Research

Research Interests

Douglas has a vested interest in researching (race) employability deficits and systemic socio-economic barriers that can prevent Black British fashion designers from accessing leading fashion design roles within the UK fashion industry. His research has investigated race inequalities that exist within UK equality law and legislations; particularly with regards to how the structures and governance of policy can led to the disproportionate educational and societal imbalances that people of colour may experience.

Conference organisation

Council for Higher Education in Art & Design (CHEAD)
CHEAD Annual Conference | The Challenge of Normal: Living with Change “Drivers of Change” Conference Panellist: Panel discussion.

JADE Conversations | Virtual Event - In conversation with Dr Gwenetta Curry | Event Co-OrganiserThis Justice, Anti-Racism against Discrimination and the fight for its Elimination (JADE) conversation discussed the impact of COVID-19 on people of colour in the UK and was held to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Institute of Teaching and Learning (ITL) | University of Northampton 
ITL Virtual Seminar | The Ethnicity Award Gap and Art and Design Students of Colour | Lead Presenter
Sharing the findings and outcomes of an ITL Innovation Bid Project. The seminar reflected upon the achievements, future developments and the impact the project has had on students, staff and the Art and Design subject area.

GEM Staff Network | University of Northampton 
#BlackintheIvory | Global Online Conference | Event Co-Organiser
An online conference that featured keynote addresses by leading global scholar activists about their work and experiences advocating for positive changes for equality and inclusion in the Higher Education sector in the UK and the USA.
Previous Employment

Projects and initiatives

Yemi Osunkoya | In Conversation and Q&A | Event Organiser
Fashion and the Reality – How to start your own fashion label | A virtual student focussed workshop with New York based multi award winning couture designer Yemi Osunkuya of Kosibah Creations.

Fashion Academics Creating Equality (FACE) @ UoN | Panel Discussion and Q&A | Event Organiser 
Cultural Diversity in Art and Design – What’s the Point? | A virtual student focussed workshop discussing the importance of embedding the culture and perspectives of people of colour into the curriculum.

Africa Fashion Week London (AFWL) | Mentoring Programme | Project Co-Organiser 
Launched a new mentoring programme with AFWL that partnered UoN students with global fashion designers of colour. The programme supported UoN fashion students to realise themselves within the fashion industry whilst at the same time becoming aware of systemic barriers that lead to the underrepresentation of leading black designers within the global fashion industry.

Dr Martens | Live Industry Project | Project Organiser 
Fashion, Textiles and Footwear and Accessories students worked directly with the Dr Martens design/ sampling team within a fashion focussed live industry project brief.

Colin McDowell MBE | In Conversation and Q&A | Event Organiser 
A student focussed event, live in conversation with fashion industry expert journalist Colin McDowell.

Exhibitions

Global Catwalk Collection Presentations

Douglas’ high-end fashion collections at several international catwalk shows and exhibitions including:

Caribbean Fashion Week | Pulse Investments Ltd | Kingston, Jamaica

Paris Fashion Week, Sales Exhibition | Atmosphere d’hiver | Paris

London Fashion Week - On-schedule | The British Fashion Council | London

BET Rip the Runway | Hammerstein Ballroom, New York

Black Britannia Exhibition | Mayor of London | City Hall, London

Black British Style Exhibition | Victoria and Albert Museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Kulture2Couture | Mayor of London | Victoria and Albert Museum, London