Professor Frances Corner on Why Fashion Education Matters Today (More Than Ever)
Professor Frances Corner OBE joins Fashion Means Business for a thought-provoking conversation on how fashion education must evolve in a world shaped by AI, climate change, and growing uncertainty. With decades of leadership experience across the creative and higher education sectors, Frances shares her perspective on why fashion education remains as relevant as ever — and how its purpose is expanding.
Speaking with Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg, she explores why creativity, critical thinking, communication and cultural awareness are becoming the most valuable skills in the modern workplace. The conversation also looks at employability, entrepreneurship, and the importance of preparing students for careers that may not yet exist. From building confidence and resilience to encouraging lifelong learning, Frances reflects on how education can empower people to navigate uncertainty and create meaningful impact.
A must-listen for students, educators, industry professionals, and anyone interested in the future of the fashion business.
The Courage to Be Different: Breaking Into Fashion in Uncertain Times with Mimma Viglezio
In this first episode of Fashion Means Business, Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg sits down with Mimma Viglezio to talk honestly about what it really takes to enter and progress in today's fashion industry. From the unwritten rules no one tells you, to why the industry can feel closed and risk-averse, Mimma shares practical insights on resilience, fit, reputation, and the power of showing up with a point of view. Mimma Viglezio is a Swiss-born branding and communications executive who has shaped some of the world’s leading luxury houses. She served as Executive Director of Corporate Communications at Bulgari, where she managed global media, advertising, and events; later became Worldwide Communications Director at Louis Vuitton, overseeing a €120 million budget and leading international brand messaging; and then joined the Gucci Group (now Kering) as Executive Vice President of Global Communications, directing the brand strategies of multiple fashion houses under the group. Since 2010, she has worked independently as a consultant, editor, and broadcaster, advising emerging designers and sustainable fashion start-ups on branding, storytelling, and purpose-driven innovation.
Marketing and Sustainability in Fashion: Collaboration, Consumer Behaviour and the Catalyst for Change
In this episode of Fashion Means Business, Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg is joined by London College of Fashion colleagues, Dr. Stine Hedegaard and Olga Cieslak, to explore how marketing and sustainability intersect in fashion — and why understanding consumer behaviour is central to creating meaningful change. Drawing on academic research and real-world industry experience, this conversation examines how sustainability has evolved from early CSR conversations into a complex, systemic challenge that fashion can no longer address in isolation. Dr. Stine Hedegaard (Course Leader, MA Fashion Marketing & Sustainability) shares her early journey from CSR in Copenhagen to helping build what became the Global Fashion Agenda and the Global Fashion Summit, including how sustainability went from “niche” to mainstream, and why collaboration across the fashion industry is now essential. PhD candidate Olga Cieslak (Lecturer, MA Fashion Marketing & Sustainability) takes us into her doctoral research on clothing attachment and detachment, based in the UK charity retail ecosystem.
From Taboo to Toolkit: AI in Fashion Higher Education
In this episode of Fashion Means Business, Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg is joined by Fashion Business School colleagues Ginny Hutt (BA Fashion Buying & Merchandising Course Leader) and Eleanor Rockett (Senior Lecturer in Fashion Law) to unpack how AI is reshaping fashion higher education today. Together they explore the real ways students are using AI (often at the “front end” of research and ideation), why there’s still a lingering taboo around disclosure, and what effective AI integration can look like without compromising academic integrity, originality, or creativity. You’ll also hear practical, classroom-tested approaches: using AI to support (not replace) literature searching and qualitative analysis; teaching the fundamentals of datasets, authorship, and IP through tangible design-led case studies; and embedding workshop-based learning that builds the soft skills the fashion industry is demanding.
The Psychology of Fashion: Why We Like What We Wear with Dr. Young-Jin Hur
Why do we like certain clothes—and what actually drives our fashion choices?In this episode of Fashion Means Business, Dr. Nina Van Volkinburg is joined by Dr. Young-Jin Hur, Course Leader of the MSc Fashion Psychology programme at London College of Fashion, to explore the fascinating field of fashion psychology.Together they unpack the science behind how and why we choose what we wear, from the role of culture and demographics to surprising new research that suggests personality may play a smaller role than we think. They also discuss how experimental psychology is beginning to transform fashion research, and what this could mean for designers, marketers, and brands trying to understand their audiences.If you’re curious about the deeper motivations behind fashion consumption—or interested in how psychology can shape the future of the industry—this episode offers a thought-provoking look at the intersection of science, creativity, and style.