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Associate Team Members

The Textiles Skills Centre  has a team of volunteers known as Associate members, who manage everything from the Textile Skills Centre Facebook groups and website, and also offers support, mentorship and advice to textile teachers and trainees. We run free networking events each month and are always on hand to help, encourage and assist when needed.

Meet the team:

 

DAWN FOXALL Profile photoDawn Foxall (Founder & Chair: Textiles Skills Centre CIC)
BA(Hons) Knitwear Design; MA(Distinction) Music Performance

Dawn has 35 years’ experience in the textiles and garment industry including design consultant, schools presenter and resources developer for EMTEX; Fashion lecturer and programme developer at various UK Universities and FE colleges; course presenter for D&T Association, Key Stage Developments(KSD), SFE and other course providers.
She was a co-founder of Liv.co.uk, where she managed design, buying and sourcing and continues to work with brands such as LUSH Soaps, sourcing ethical products and consulting for young designers and start-ups.
In 2015 Dawn set up the Textiles Skills Centre (formerly ‘Academy’) supporting textile teachers, delivering workshops and events. In 2017 she launched her own knitwear brand FOXOLOGY designing and producing sustainably sourced collections. She continues to teach pattern cutting at various education and commercial establishments as well as for Textiles Skills Centre and also drafts patterns for industry.

 

Nicky Simpson (Senior Associate Member & Secretary: Textiles Skills Centre CIC)
BA(Hons) Textiles Design: Specialising in Print.

Nicky is a contemporary textiles artist, who has 12 years teaching experience, heading up Fashion & Textiles at a School in Kent. She has taught many different specifications from Art & Design Textiles at GCSE and A Level, Design and Technology at GCSE and A Level and BTEC Level 3 Fashion. Her last set of grades were: A Level 100% A-A*; GCSE 70% A-A* (100% A*-B). She has also taught Graphics, Food and Art at KS3.
In Nicky’s previous career she was a senior director of a fashion print agency in the heart of London. She designed her own prints as well as creating and selling seasonal fashion print collections for the international market, buying and redesigning archive prints. Nicky designed and sold to all the high street stores from Marks and Spencer to River Island.
Since 2016, Nicky has been a textile consultant, focusing on developing and leading the online and face to face workshops for the Textile Skills Centre, including pattern development. Nicky has mentored many graduate trainees, and now mentors many fellow teachers through the TSC mentorship programme. She has delivered workshops at the Knitting & Stitching show and Festival of Quilts, run workshops for the National Trust and volunteers as an art therapist in her spare time(!).

 

 

JULIA BURROWS PROFILE PHOTOJulia K Burrows (Course Leader & Treasurer: Textiles Skills Centre CIC)
BA Fashion Design; L3 Award in Education & Training(RQF)

Julia studied fashion design and garment construction at the Faculty of Clothing Design, in Durban, South Africa. She started her career as designer and pattern cutter for men’s and ladies’ leisurewear, then moved on to become Senior Designer, which involved running several sample and pattern cutting rooms. She designed men’s and ladies surf and swimwear ranges, a menswear brand range “Rifle”, and set up her own ladies’ wear shop and production unit, before moving to the UK.
In the UK, Julia worked for a Marks & Spencer supplier, as Senior Designer of woman’s lingerie and nightwear, and also oversaw a children’s nightwear range. She later moved to London to become Head Designer for a men’s, ladies’ and children’s leisurewear range. More recently Julia has become a freelancer, working with small start-ups advising on the industry, specialist finance management, design feasibility, fabric and pattern cutting. In 2016 she moved into teaching post 16 adult education, at the Fashion Technology Academy in North London. As senior tutor there, she developed training programmes and taught Pattern Cutting and Design.

 

 

Rachel Addy (Media & Marketing: Textiles Skills Centre)
BSC(Hons) Textiles Design for Fashion & Interiors: Specialising in knit.

RACHEL has been the Events Planner & a host for the Textile Skills Centre events since April 2021. She also works as a Design & Technology Teacher as well as taking part in multiple events globally expanding her network of Textile Professionals. Rachel’s initial career was in the fashion industry working for 9 years around the world as a Product Developer.

She worked for an American based company called GIII based in Hangzhou China and has spent several years travelling the globe working with various textile manufacturers. Rachel has worked with customers from around the world including the high street stores from Marks and Spencer to Moss Bros.
Rachel’s has since moved into teaching as Design and Technology Teacher. She has taught Graphics, Textiles, Fashion Textiles & Product Design. Rachel has spent several years working for not-for-profit Networking events to support locals in making connections that will encourage skill sharing & develop professional relationships that may one day open the door to other opportunities.

 

Nicola Perren-photoNicola Perren (Course Developer & Trainer)
BA(Hons) Textile Design, MA in Contemporary Fine Art 

Nicola Perren is a textiles designer, practitioner and teacher. She was a Senior Lecturer of Textiles for over 25 years at Huddersfield University, primarily teaching woven textiles, drawing, craft and design. Nicola spent a significant time working with students preparing to go to university, whilst also running courses for teachers to help ‘recharge creativity’, as she is keen to break down the barriers to textile learning.

Recently taking the leap into a freelance design and teaching direction, she uses her drawing skills to develop textile collections, while continuing a making practice that has developed from her PhD research into quilting [amongst other things]. Quilts hold a particular fascination for Nicola, specifically Whole Cloth quilts which can be found around the world, and she is interested in quilts that are both functional and not.

As well as developing and delivering courses with Textiles Skills Centre, she continues to work with local communities as an artist, notably with WOVEN, Made in Kirklees.

Instagram: @perrenstudio