Polly Kenny is the Programme Director for Materials and has an MA in Fashion Studies, the Embroiderers Guild Beryl Dean Award for excellence in the teaching of embroidery and is a member of the Worshipful Company of Broderers. Her industry experience is extensive and has been through collaborative partnerships with, for example, Broderie Anglaise and Peter Wright Europe Ltd at the industry’s textile fairs such as Heimtextil. She is a member of the Higher Education Academy and previously Vice Chair of the London Branch of the Society of Dyers and Colourists.
Her pedagogic research embraces the development of digital resources to support the teaching of embroidery whilst her textile practice explores traditional embroidery and the mark of the hand, through recent technologies articulating ideas emerging in response to memory and the exploration of the archive.
Exhibited work includes in ‘Making research: Researching Making’ conference, University Aarhus, ‘Mind and Body’ and ‘Uncovering the Surface’ conferences, USA, ‘Suave 2’, Spain, ‘Modular’ 5th International Design Biennial, Russia and ‘Square-Carré-Cuadrado’, 3rd International Biennial’, Women in Textiles Art, Venezuela.
Research papers include ‘Crafting the Digital’ presented at the 6th International Conference of Textiles, Tirana, ‘Margaret Nicholson Embroideress and Teacher: an exploration of her legacy’, at the ‘Transition: Rethinking Textiles and Surfaces’ conference, University of Huddersfield and ‘CADCAM: the continuation of craft embroidery traditions’ presentation at the Royal Museum Toronto at the Cloth Cultures conference. The presentation focused on the embedding of the study and use of the archive to enrich learning and how technological innovation can be explored to support conventional methods of textile design.
Andrew Kenny is the former BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery Pathway Leader, Owner, Design Director and CEO of The London Embroidery Studio Ltd. and has been the Development Lead on this MA.
Andrew is a graduate of Goldsmiths College and the Royal College of Art. He has 17yrs teaching experience in Higher Education, predominately at LCF but also as a visiting lecturer at Goldsmiths, London Met, Royal College of Art and Manchester School of Art. He played a vital role in writing the original BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles degree course and has contributed to the curriculum development of the embroidery pathway and embroidery workshop.
Andrew set up the London Embroidery Studio in 2007 to create bespoke embroidery designs for fashion, film, TV, theatre, interiors, artist and events clients worldwide. The studio has invested heavily in cutting-edge, custom-made, digital machine embroidery equipment and software and is known internationally for their innovative, creative and experimental approach to digital machine embroidery. The studio currently boasts the best range of equipment in the UK and has a staff of highly trained designers and technicians (the majority of whom are LCF graduates) to create and produce their work.
They create work for clients such as Christian Dior, Celine, Louis Vuitton and Vivienne Westwood as well as for Disney, Warner Brothers, the BBC, Netflix and Apple TV and CMF work for leading sportswear, automotive and aeronautical companies.
The studio regularly exhibits their work at trade fairs and exhibitions in London and Paris and has won several awards for their work including a D&AD Yellow pencil Award for their work on a fully embroidered animation for the BBC and more recently, a Changemakers award from Swarovski and the British Fashion Council for their work championing craftsmanship and promotion of their craft through embroidery classes and exhibition.
Alice Richardson is Pathway leader for BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery and MA graduate from the Royal College of Art. Alice is a Freelance Embroidery Designer specialising in experimental and innovative couture hand embroidery with a mixed media and sculptural approach. This inventive approach to her work was recognised by her winning a Hand & Lock Prize 2007 and the WGSN Global Fashion Awards Swarovski Student Prize in New York in 2011. Alice has worked on couture and catwalk creations for leading labels such as Dior, Celine, Diane Von Furstenburg and Victoria Beckham as well as embellished costumes for film, TV and stage. Clients include Disney, Pinewood, Netflix, HBO, Apple TV and the BBC. She has undertaken international professional collaborations in Mexico on behalf of the British Council, at factories in India to stimulate innovation in their design of embroideries for large scale production and to expand their overseas markets. Alice has also worked in Austria at Swarovski HQ, as a guest innovation designer developing new trends for their embellishment products and techniques. Alice has worked closely with Andrew Kenny at LCF and at The London Embroidery Studio where she heads up the hand embroidery design and production side of the studio creating innovative hand embroidery designs for all of their clients. Her work has been exhibited at tradeshows as part of Maison D’Exception at Premiere Vision, Paris and Textile Forum, London in collaboration with The London Embroidery Studio. Alice has extensive teaching experience predominantly at LCF but also as a Visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins and Leeds Metropolitan University.
Dr Mingjing Lin is a Senior Lecturer in Textile Science and S.T.E.M. Practice at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. She obtained her PhD from the Royal College of Art in 2020, where her practice-based research developed Parametric Thinking 2.0—a new framework for body-oriented design in 3D-printed fashion and textiles.
Her research integrates 3D printing, parametric design, and innovative textiles to advance sustainable, data-driven fashion innovation. Adopting a S.T.E.A.M. approach, Dr Lin explores the intersections of wearable technology, smart textiles, and creative computing—continually pushing the boundaries between art, design, and science.
Dr Lin has led major international collaborations, including the LCF–McKinsey–Istanbul Moda Academy partnership, the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Wear Sustain Project, and the LCF–Tsinghua–ANTA Global Sportswear Design Competition. Her practice-based research has been showcased at internationally recognised institutions such as the V&A, Museu del Disseny de Barcelona, and the National Museum of China, earning awards including the 3D Printing Award and TCT Award.
She co-leads the Active Materials Lab, represents the School of Design and Technology on the College Research Committee, and supervises PhD researchers internationally. Dr Lin also serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Design Intelligence; as a peer reviewer for leading journals and conferences, such as Textile Research Journal as well as DRS 2026.
Amanda Griffiths is Knit and Knitwear tutor for MAFTT and Senior Lecturer in Design and Knit for BA(Hons)Fashion Textiles: A graduate from the Royal College of Art, Amanda has over 20 years experience in the creative industries working in the Fashion and Textile industry Internationally as an in-house Knitwear designer, knit consultant, and has also run her own knit studio working to commission and client briefs. Until recently she was a partner in Jeff Cottenden Photography: A studio creating images that evoke a sense of narrative and atmosphere through portraiture and still life. Working predominantly in the Publishing and Advertising industries.
Amanda has extensive teaching experience: delivering design and specialist knitted textile and knitwear teaching in the UK, at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate level. Her academic research interest is rooted in design problem solving and how the application of craft, material choices and manufacturing can create more sustainable solutions for knitwear and textile production.
Jemma Ooi is Print and Mixed Media tutor, owner and co-founder of design studios CUSTHOM and Pigment Press. A graduate from the Royal College of Art, Jemma has over a decade of higher education teaching experience, most recently leading the printed textiles specialism at the Royal college of Art. Jemma has taught on several undergraduate degree courses across the UK and Internationally in collaboration with the British Council. Her academic research focusses on the interruption of hand technique within digital processes to create unique textiles and more recently was awarded FFF funding for a feasibility study looking to replace PET plastics with recycled cellulose fibres.
Jemma's design practise, established in collaboration with Nathan Philpott (MA RCA) in 2013 creates hand printed wallpapers, celebrating traditional craft skills, colour and form. Their design collections are exhibited and sold Internationally.
Pigment Press is a community led print workshop based in Shepherds Bush Market, London. The studio works with local schools, community groups and market traders to support with visual identity, creative thinking and practical print design and making skills.
Nathan Philpot, Technical Specialist at London College of Fashion and MA graduate from the RCA. In 2010 Nathan and his wife Gemma Ooi established their own brand called Custhom. This is a research-based design practice working with handmade processes. By experimenting with tactility and graphic-led design the studio has created a collection of wallpapers, ceramics, textiles and designed products that are all sold internationally. Custhom has a detailed approach to materials and processes and works with clients on concepts for branding, retail spaces, restaurants, and domestic projects, often in collaboration with respected architects and interior designers. Their clients include Design Museum, Somerset House, Liberty London, Barber and Osgerby, LG and Clarks.
Veronika Kapalski is Professor in Material Technologies and lead for the Active Material System Research (AMSR) group that studies the intersection of textile design + STEM disciplines and applies these multidisciplinary lenses, to introduce design with structure, information, space, and time to textile-based materials systems. The AMSR group is composed of research, academic and technical members of staff from across UAL in addition to PhD students and Post-Doctoral Research assistants.
