Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL), through its Fashion Technology Academy (FTA), is proud to announce its partnership with Westminster City Archives on the groundbreaking “Threads of Elegance: Conserving the Legacy of Beale & Inman Tailors” project. As part of this two-year community initiative, Fashion-Enter Ltd will deliver a six-week tailoring and garment construction course specifically designed for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The course, titled “Introduction to Industrial Sewing & Garment Construction”, will run from Friday 19th September to 7th November 2025 (with a break for half term) at the FC Designer Workspace in Islington, North London.
Course Overview:
- Dates: Fridays from 19th September – 7th November 2025
- Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Location: FC Designer Workspace, 9 Durham Road, Islington, N7 7FB
- Audience: Special Educational Needs (SEN) students
- Duration: 6 sessions (over 8 weeks)
Course Content Highlights:
- Threading and operation of flatbed and overlock industrial sewing machines
- Learning a variety of seam types, garment finishing techniques, and basic pattern construction
- Upcycling a garment using unwanted clothing and textiles
The course is designed as a career taster programme, offering SEN students hands-on experience in garment construction while introducing them to the broader opportunities within the UK textile and fashion industry.
About the Threads of Elegance Project:
Led by Westminster City Archives, the Threads of Elegance initiative aims to conserve the remarkable legacy of Beale & Inman, a prestigious tailor once based on New Bond Street and known for dressing royalty and icons including Sir Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens. The project will bring together history, fashion, and community engagement through:
- Beginner sewing workshops, craft sessions, clothing swaps, and sustainability talks
- Guided heritage walks, conservation volunteer days, and exhibition visits
- Hands-on engagement with archival material and fashion heritage
- A culminating public exhibition at Westminster City Hall in summer 2027
A strong emphasis is placed on intergenerational learning, heritage conservation, and inclusive access to fashion education.
“Fashion-Enter Ltd is honoured to support the Threads of Elegance project,” said Lan Leeder, Head of Education at FEL. “We believe in the power of heritage to inspire the future—and in the importance of making fashion skills accessible to all, especially those from underrepresented and neurodiverse backgrounds.”
Fashion-Enter Ltd joins an esteemed consortium of collaborators including:
- The Victoria & Albert Museum
- London College of Fashion (UAL)
- Ancestry
- The Textiles Skills Centre
- Thorney Island Society
For further information about the course or Fashion-Enter Ltd’s involvement in Threads of Elegance, please contact: lan@fashion-enter.com