Colleen Leitch

Lecturer, Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh

Colleen Leitch is a lecturer in Fashion Innovation at SCF, leveraging her professional background at brands including Burberry and Margaret Howell to bridge industry practice with academic instruction. As course organizer for Year 3 and 4 students, she has introduced research-led teaching methods, material innovation workshops, and industry-aligned projects, driving fashion education innovation through design and production practices. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creative exploration, professional readiness, and the development of students' individual design identity.

Colleen Leitch is a lecturer in Fashion Innovation with four years of academic experience, underpinned by an extensive professional background in the fashion industry. She graduated with First-Class Honours from Edinburgh College of Art, later completing an MA in Womenswear Fashion Design at the prestigious Royal College of Art, London. Before moving into academia, she spent seven years working for internationally recognised brands including Burberry, Margaret Howell, and Beulah London, gaining expertise across luxury, heritage, and contemporary design contexts.

Her transition into teaching began at Edinburgh College of Art, where she supported final-year students while also working at Strathberry, a renowned Scottish handbag brand. Colleen then took on a full-time teaching role at SCF, where she now serves as course organiser for both Year 3 and Year 4 students. In this role, she has designed and delivered innovative teaching approaches that bridge theory, practice, and industry engagement.

Colleen’s teaching emphasises research-led design. She has introduced structured library and design bookstore visits, encouraging students to ground their work in physical, curated resources rather than relying solely on digital sources. By integrating alumni presentations and peer-to-peer learning, she has fostered a culture of knowledge exchange that highlights diverse career pathways. High-performing students have also shared their sketchbooks and processes, setting tangible benchmarks of excellence for their peers.

Her contributions extend to the development of new workshops within the Material Innovation course, covering areas such as meaningful deconstruction, modular cutting, experimental drawing, and scale exploration in both 2D and 3D. These sessions have received strong student feedback and reflect her commitment to fostering creative risk-taking and innovation. In alignment with sustainability priorities in fashion education, Colleen organised a student visit to the Shanghai Intertextile exhibition in collaboration with Redress, providing direct exposure to sustainable textile practices and suppliers.

Beyond curriculum development, she has initiated cross-year collaborative projects, including a tailoring exhibition jointly showcasing Year 2 and Year 3 work, completed on campus with organisational support from fashion colleagues. This event not only celebrated student achievement but also provided valuable benchmarks for younger cohorts, reinforcing standards of quality and professionalism.

Colleen’s research and academic interests lie in sustainable fashion practice, pedagogical innovation, and industry-academia collaboration. She has contributed to the Industry Voices series through interviews with graduates working in diverse roles such as trend forecasting and fashion journalism, broadening students’ awareness of alternative professional pathways.

Through her teaching, research, and professional practice, Colleen continues to make significant contributions to fashion education, equipping the next generation of designers with the skills, curiosity, and critical awareness necessary to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.