Dr Sass Brown

I wrote and developed the Sustainable Fashion: Business and Practices MA launched in Fall 2022 while teaching collection development in the final year of the Fashion Design BA, as well as in the Fashion Promotion and Communication BA.

Wrote and deliver a two-week intensive module for Politecnico di Milano's MA in Fashion Design on Design Research entitled Craft and Sustainability from 2019 to present.

Wrote and deliver a two-session mini-module for the Fashion Institute of Technology's Executive studies programmer on Design for Social Impact from 2020 till present.

Wrote and deliver a 6-week online programme for London College of Fashion entitled sustainable fashion from February 2020 till present.

Qualifications and expertise

• Ethical and sustainable fashion and business
• Writer / Editor on ethical fashion in commercial publications

Undergraduate courses taught

• Fashion BA (Hons)
• Fashion Promotion and Communications BA (Hons)

In the early stages of development of a digital interactive toolbox and guide available on an open-source platform to support the development of artisan-based businesses and product development of artisan fashion products in an ethical and considered manner that guides designers to do the work required to sustain business, specific to the support of the global craft community.

Qualifications and expertise

• Sustainable and ethical fashion
• Global artisanship and craftsmanship
• Sustainable business and operational models

Areas of specialism

• Sustainable and ethical fashion
• Global craftsmanship and artisanship
• Sustainable business models

Research student supervision

• Miss Arpit Kaur Bhatia
• Ms Katherine Soucie

Publications

Books:

ReFashioned – 2013. Published by Laurence King for the UK, Chronicle for the US, in Spanish by Art Blume. https://www.laurenceking.com/products/refashioned?_pos=1&_psq=refashioned&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Eco Fashion – 2010. Published by Laurence King for the UK, Chronicle for the US, in MItalian by Logos and Spanish by Art Blume.

Writing:

Fashion Bites in collaboration with Fashion United – monthly ethical fashion design podcast interview 2020 till present

The National UAE Luxury weekend magazine supplement, one article per month on ethical fashion designers 2017 -2019

Coco Eco Magazine - International Eco Fashion editor 2011 – 2018

Eco Fashion Talk website founder and editor 2010 - 2017

Above Magazine - International Features Editor 2011 - 2012

Qualifications and PROFESSIONAL expertise

• Sustainable and ethical fashion
• Global artisanship and craftsmanship
• Sustainable fashion business models

Areas of interest

• Sustainable and ethical fashion
• Global artisanship and craftsmanship
• Sustainable business models for the craft sector

Publications

Advised GAP Inc and its subsidiary brands in the Fall of 2021; Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Athleta as part of their Design with Audacity initiative on cultural appropriation as well as diversity and inclusion. The talks and discussions were live with all global design directors and later shared with all individual members of the designer teams in every division of the various brands. The Design with Audacity program is a design-led initiative intended to inspire and lead the way forward for all GAP brands, by engaging with cutting edge thought leaders in fashion.

Conducted a master class on cultural appropriation for the Ethical Fashion Initiative (flagship programme of the UN) Design Accelerator programme for emerging African designers https://ethicalfashioninitiative.org/business-development/accelerator

Qualifications and expertise

• sustainable and ethical fashion
• fashion impacts on people and planet
• ethical design initiatives and models
• artisanship and craftsmanship
• cultural appropriation
• diversity, inclusion and representation

Professional and scholarly affiliations

• Member of the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise
• Advisory board member UID College of Karnavati University India
• Founding committee for Fashion Revolution USA 2013
• Advisory board member London True Luxury Week
• International Executive team Global Sustainable Fashion Week Budapest

Developed, wrote and ushered through validation, an MA for Kingston University entitled Sustainable Fashion: Business and Practices. I was the Founding Dean of the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) a cross disciplinary design University developed in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Parsons the New School. As Founding Dean, I was solely responsible for achieving academic accreditation through the Ministry of Education. I was also responsible for the development of all academic policies and procedures in collaboration with the Quality Assurance Officer. I hired the first two rounds of faculty and encouraged a democratic and collaborative atmosphere towards curricular development and teaching, something I am particularly proud of. The delivery of the first 2 years of curriculum required the editing and rewriting of most of the coursework which was undertaken through a collaborative process. 

As the Interim Dean for the Fashion Institute of Technology's school of Art and Design, and prior to that as the Associate and Assistant Dean, I was responsible for managing the 17 departments of Art and Design, and almost half of the Universities student body. I launched and coordinated the BFA annual fashion show, including working with sponsors, judges, the show producer, faculty and students. 

I was the Resident Director for FIT's study abroad campus in Florence Italy for 4 years. Responsible for faculty, students, curriculum, budget, and all aspects of running and managing the program which encompassed Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management.

Qualifications and expertise

• Strategy and vision for sustainable design and practices