Habs Monmouth students gained an exclusive and inspiring insight into highβlevel fashion education during their visit to the JCA | Jimmy Choo Academy, guided by the ethos of the schoolβs patron, Professor Jimmy Choo.
GCSE and A level Textiles students from Haberdashersβ Monmouth School enjoyed an inspiring and immersive visit to the JCA | Jimmy Choo Academy in Mayfair, London, gaining a rare behindβtheβscenes look at studying and working within the competitive fashion industry. The visit held special significance for the school, as worldβrenowned designer Professor Jimmy Choo serves as Haberdashersβ Monmouthβs Patron of Fashion, Design & Textiles.
Students enjoyed an engaging introduction to the Academyβs values, creative ethos and industryβfocused degree pathways before embarking on a guided tour of the Mayfair campus. They met lecturers and spoke with undergraduates developing garments for their final collections, gaining an exciting insight into the creativity and technical skill required at degree level.
One of the dayβs highlights was an energetic design challenge inspired by the theme Destruct and Construct. With just 30 minutes and half a metre of fabric, students collaborated to tear, plait, sculpt and pin their materials into expressive dress concepts, later transforming these ideas into vibrant fashion illustrations. The challenge provided a lively taste of the creativity and fastβpaced problemβsolving expected in fashion design studios.
The visit concluded with a trip to Liberty London, giving students the chance to explore iconic fabrics and gather further creative inspiration.
Overall, the experience proved eyeβopening and energising, encouraging students to think boldly about future career pathways in fashion and textiles, and reinforcing the strong connection between Haberdashersβ Monmouth and the world of professional design through its patron, Professor Jimmy Choo.
