Hainsworth Collaborates With London College Of Fashion

Students at the London College of Fashion (LCF) have partnered with British textile manufacturer Hainsworth to design a 100% Merino Wool bespoke jacquard cloth for their final year university project.

The collaboration challenged students from LCF’s BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring course to design a custom cloth, with the winning designs invited to weave and finish their fabric at Hainsworth’s West Yorkshire heritage textile mill and incorporate their unique jacquard patterns into their garment collections.

Throughout the 2022/23 academic year, students worked on a project that combined innovative design with the expertise of traditional weaving techniques - using Fine Merino Double fabric and a specific colour palette. Three student designs were selected for weaving at the AW Hainsworth HQ, with Textile Designer Andrea Noble’s guidance in adapting their weaving concepts.

Winning designs by Gabriella Mann, Onora Menekse, and Enya Judge were selected for showcasing originality, craftsmanship, and sustainability—aligned with Hainsworth’s commitment to slow fashion values.

Andrea Noble, Design and Product Development Manager at AW Hainsworth, said,

“We were so impressed by all the students who submitted for our brief, but Gabriella, Onora and Enya stood out for their striking designs, storytelling and a strong understanding of how a jacquard weave can be incorporated into modern, refined tailoring.”

Gabriella Mann’s innovative vision, Enya Judge’s monochromatic, hand-painted design, and Onora Menekse’s exploration of nationality and culture encapsulated the project’s essence. Their designs were brought to life through a visit to the Hainsworth Mill, where they watched their creations woven using Jacquard looms.

The collaboration finished with a presentation at LCF’s end-of-year salon show at Protein Studios in Shoreditch last month, giving future tailors Enya, Gabriella, Onora, and fellow students a chance to showcase their collections.

“This year we were delighted to partner with luxury British textile manufacturer AW Hainsworth & Sons who collaborated with three of our final year students, to weave and finish a bespoke length of Fine Merino Double cloth to the student's individual jacquard designs, which they have incorporated into their collections,” said Daniel Poulson, BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring Course Leader at London College of Fashion.

Hainsworth, a subsidiary of AW Hainsworth and a pioneer in the slow fashion movement, aims to connect environmental, ethical, and social responsibility to create beautiful, well-made garments that stand the test of time. Designers, tailors and garment manufacturers choose Hainsworth’s premium woollen textiles from diverse industries, united in their desire for the best craftsmanship and true British provenance.