How Cross-Disciplinary Learning is Shaping the Future of Fashion

Collaboration through learning

London College of Fashion recognises that collaboration lies at the core of the global fashion industry. It’s a skill essential to every role, from designers and marketers to psychologists, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Within the Fashion Business School, this is reflected in a multidisciplinary community that enables students to work across subject boundaries, gaining first-hand experience of the collaborative processes that drive innovation in the sector.

A recent partnership between MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation and MSc Psychology of Fashion paired student entrepreneurs with psychology researchers, combining business ideas with evidence-based insight.

Project 1: Le Réel – Rethinking fit through emotion and identity

Martha Sofía Mejía Luque (MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation) partnered with Jimena Campeotto (MSc Psychology of Fashion) to explore a question at the heart of her womenswear brand, Le Réel, which is designed for Latin American women.

For Martha, the challenge went beyond product design. "Fit isn't only about measurements - it's deeply emotional."

Working as founder and researcher, the pair examined how women experience clothing fit in relation to identity, body representation and belonging. Martha shared the brand context and key questions, while Jimena designed and conducted independent qualitative research.

As Jimena explains, "The goal was to turn a business question into something we could explore through lived experience."

The findings helped Martha better articulate her brand's purpose and reinforced the importance of independent research. "Having an independent lens meant the findings weren't just an echo of my own thinking," she says.

For Jimena, the project demonstrated how psychology can support industry practice. "Research is most valuable when it extends beyond academia and can be translated into something practical."

Reflecting on the collaboration, Martha adds: "It's one thing to believe something as a founder, but another to see it hold up through someone else's research."

Project 2: UnderRated: Reimagining fashion discovery

Samadrita Khasnabis (MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation) partnered with Maryam Kefokeris and Amber Williams (MSc Psychology of Fashion) to explore how consumers discover independent fashion brands in increasingly crowded digital spaces.

At the centre of the project was UnderRated, Samadrita's platform championing emerging designers from the Global South. The collaboration investigated themes including identity, authenticity and the impact of algorithms on fashion discovery.

"As a founder you operate largely on instinct and observation," says Samadrita. Through qualitative and quantitative research, the team tested those assumptions with real consumer data.

Maryam explored how alternative fashion helps young consumers express identity and belonging. "This project allowed me to show that alternative fashion is not only about looking different, but about identity, authenticity and emotional connection."

Amber examined the effects of personalised algorithms and digital shopping experiences, helping the platform better understand how consumers engage with emerging brands online.

For Samadrita, the value of the collaboration was clear: "Seeing the platform's assumptions tested through a structured methodology and coming back validated gave me a level of confidence in the strategic direction of UnderRated that instinct alone could never have provided."

Amber describes the project as one of the most valuable experiences of her degree: “Having the opportunity to work alongside a real brand throughout the research process meant discussing different research ideas, methods and aims while balancing academic requirements with the brand's priorities. It required compromise, communication and teamwork, giving me a much better understanding of how research is carried out in a real commercial setting.”

Bridging business and psychology

The collaboration demonstrates how psychological research can support fashion entrepreneurship, helping students apply their expertise to real-world challenges while developing the communication and collaboration skills increasingly valued across the industry.

As Dr Young-Jin Hur, Course Leader of MSc Psychology of Fashion, explains:

"The collaboration between MSc Psychology of Fashion and MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation enables students to work with one another as business owners and consultants, demonstrating how psychological ideas and research methods can support innovative fashion business ideas while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration."

• Find out more about MSc Psychology of Fashion
• Find out more about MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Read more LCF Stories