Future Fashion Works
Connecting education, industry and culture to transform the future of fashion through innovation, collaboration and sustainability.
Future Fashion Works (FFW) is dedicated to transforming the fashion industry through innovation, collaboration and sustainable practices.
By connecting education, industry and cultural institutions, FFW empowers students, community groups and local sustainable fashion businesses. Our mission is to cultivate talent, foster inclusivity, and drive economic growth, positioning the West of England as a leading global hub for sustainable fashion innovation.
Through strategic partnerships, including our collaboration with Bath and North East Somerset Council, Fashion Museum Bath, Hemingway Designs and Buckman Associates, FFW provides the essential skills, resources and platforms necessary to develop sustainable fashion enterprises.
We are committed to creating accessible pathways into the fashion industry, breaking down barriers, and supporting a greener, more equitable future for the region and beyond.
Our team
- Tamara Parsons-Baker
Executive Project Manager - Jessica Hannan
Fashion Business Manager - Gabby Shiner-Hill
Digital Fellow - Faith McLean
Business Support Officer and Fashion Researcher - Poppi Carter
General Manager (Somer) - Megana Petkeviciute
Social Media Manager - Ruby Branch
Merchandiser and Retail Assistant (Somer)
Our priorities
Community
Future Fashion Works fosters deep connections between education, local makers, and the public through collaborative projects, events, workshops, and exhibitions. By operating in accessible city-centre spaces like Somer, we create vibrant opportunities to explore fashion as a tool for cultural and social regeneration.
Sustainability
We are committed to transforming the fashion industry by promoting sustainable practices at every level, from education and research to retail and entrepreneurship.
Enterprise
FFW provides a launchpad for sustainable fashion startups and small businesses, offering business support, retail opportunities, and incubation spaces. Through Somer, we enable students, designers and entrepreneurs to test ideas, develop products and engage directly with customers, bridging the gap between creativity and commerce.
Research
As a hub for innovation, FFW partners with academic, cultural and industry leaders to develop research into sustainable materials, digital fashion and ethical production. Our integration with the Fashion Museum, BANES, WEMCA and BSU drives a unique feedback loop between heritage, experimentation and future-focused inquiry.
Somer
Somer is a vibrant fashion concept store and community incubator dedicated to nurturing creativity, fostering sustainable business practices and providing real-world educational experiences.
By directly supporting students, SMEs and local communities, Somer empowers the next generation of sustainable fashion innovators and entrepreneurs, contributing positively to both local economic vitality and global environmental responsibility.
The project aims to support makers and SMEs from the South West by:
- Nurturing emerging fashion and design talent
- Connecting BSU to the creative industry
- Boosting the region’s creative capital with BSU as a catalyst for change.
The space will showcase our ambition for Future Fashion West and embody BSU’s core values of creativity, culture, and enterprise. We will test initiatives and develop links with the sustainable fashion industry, and utilise the space for ongoing collaborations with Fashion Museum Bath.
Future Fashion Digital
Gabby Shiner-Hill, Future Fashion Works’ Digital Fellow, is a designer and digital innovation specialist with over 20 years’ experience across global fashion design and manufacturing. She has led product development teams at international manufacturers including Esquel and Dewhirst, and worked with leading brands such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein.
A significant part of Gabby’s career has focused on advancing digital literacy within the fashion industry. She has trained teams in fabric simulation, 3D design tools, and digital product development workflows that enable more efficient and sustainable ways of working.
As Digital Fellow at Bath Spa University’s Future Fashion Works, working in partnership with Fashion Museum Bath, Gabby is researching and advancing the digitisation of the Museum’s collection. Her work explores how digital assets can create new ways for audiences to engage with fashion, supporting the Museum’s vision for its reopening in 2030.
Building on two MyWorld Bristol & Bath Fellowships with Watershed, Pervasive Media Studio and The Studio in Bath, Gabby is also developing digital archive workflows and strengthening regional and national partnerships. Through this work, she contributes to positioning Future Fashion Works as a leader in fashion technology and sustainable practice.
Get involved
We want to hear from staff, alumni and students at BSU who would like to be involved.
Whether you have a small brand we can support, know of a brilliant sustainable fashion initiative, or have an idea for a workshop you can teach, please let us know.
For more information, please email ffw@bathspa.ac.uk.
About us
Bath Spa University was awarded Social Inclusion University of the Year by The Times Good University Guide 2024. We are a certified member of Social Enterprise UK and are the 17th greenest university in the UK. This, our strong track record for securing research and funding grants, positions BSU as the primary delivery organisation for this project.
Our partners
- Bath Fashion Museum and the Fashion Collection Archive
- Bath and North East Somerset Council (B&NES)
Collaborate with us
If you're a brand, individual, business or community willing to join us on this transformative journey, we'd love to hear from you.
Please get in touch by emailing ffw@bathspa.ac.uk.