Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) and the Fashion Technology Academy (FTA) are strengthening their commitment to inclusive education through a new partnership with Open Style Lab, a disability-led non-profit organisation dedicated to creating accessible creativity through design education.
The collaboration marks another important step in FEL’s ongoing mission to ensure that opportunities within the fashion and textile industry are open to everyone, regardless of physical ability or learning differences. As a social enterprise, Fashion-Enter Ltd has always balanced commercial success with social impact. Alongside delivering industry-leading manufacturing and training, the organisation continues to invest in programmes that support learners from diverse backgrounds and remove barriers to employment within the UK fashion industry.
The partnership with Open Style Lab will build on the inclusive practices already established at the Fashion Technology Academy. The Academy has invested in modified industrial sewing machines for learners with physical disabilities, while its experienced tutors are trained to support differentiated learning, ensuring students receive the guidance they need to thrive in a practical learning environment.
The collaboration was inspired by a meeting between Fashion-Enter Ltd CEO Jenny Holloway and Open Style Lab founder Yasmin Keats (pictured above), whose work has helped transform access to creative education for thousands of people. Open Style Lab has reached more than 3.2 million people through its initiatives, with over 2,300 individuals directly benefiting from its programmes.
Reflecting on the new partnership, Jenny Holloway commented: “Being a social enterprise means we can do more than simply deliver training—we can create opportunities that genuinely change lives. Our partnership with Open Style Lab perfectly reflects our commitment to making fashion education accessible to everyone. Honest conversations about disability, inclusion and removing barriers are essential if we are to build a truly diverse industry.”
The partnership also recognises that creativity comes in many forms and that learners process information in different ways. Rather than focusing on limitations, both organisations are committed to creating environments where individual strengths can flourish. The first collaborative stitching lessons will begin on Saturday 11th July at the Fashion Technology Academy in Islington, providing participants with practical garment-making skills in a supportive and inclusive setting.
As the UK fashion industry continues to address skills shortages and broaden access to careers, partnerships such as this demonstrate how education providers and industry organisations can work together to ensure talent is recognised and nurtured, regardless of background or ability.
Fashion-Enter Ltd extends its thanks to Stephen Russell of BLUE GARAGE in Lewisham for introducing the two organisations and helping to establish what promises to be a meaningful and impactful collaboration.