LCF hosts 2 world-leading UAL research centres, the Centre for Fashion Curation and the Centre for Sustainable Fashion; a newly established Centre for Fashion Business and Innovation Research; the Digital Anthropology Lab; and 8 Research Hubs including one that supports the activity of approximately 70 PhD students.

Research spans practice and theory in design, performance, curation, artefact, psychology, cosmetic science, social science, sustainable and material practices, creative business and management, digital production and communication; film, media and cultural studies.

London College of Fashion will be moving to the East Bank (2022), a new powerhouse for innovation, creativity and learning on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a unique collaboration between world-leading universities, arts and culture institution. LCF is a co-founder of the research and Knowledge Exchange focused Global Disability Innovation Hub, with East Bank partners, UCL, Loughborough London, Sadlers’ Wells and the V&A.

In 2018, UAL was awarded one of 9 UK wide Creative R&D Partnerships, as part of an £80 million Creative Industries Cluster Programme, funded by the Industrial Strategy and delivered by the AHRC. LCF hosts the award led by Director Professor Jane Harris.

As one of 6 UAL Colleges, LCF contributed to the REF 2014, where UAL’s research was assessed as being 83% World Leading and international, is first in the Power ranking for Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory. Professor Felicity Colman is the Associate Dean of Research at London College of Fashion.