But the story of this place starts long before skinny jeans and runway shows. Imagine London more than a hundred years ago, with thick fog rolling through the streets and the gentle hum of sewing machines in the background. Around 1906, three different schools trained young women in the arts of dressmaking, embroidery, and hat-making: Shoreditch Technical Institute Girls School, Barrett Street Trade School, and Clapham Trade School. Picture rows of focused students, fingers flying, threads and fabric flying everywhere-if Instagram had existed then, I’m sure the hashtag #SewingQueen would have been trending.
These women learned everything needed to turn a simple sheet of cloth into the height of fashion. But it wasn’t only about dresses. They also tackled tailoring, furriery, and even the hairdressing secrets of the day. Some went on to craft beautiful pieces for the well-heeled shoppers in London’s West End. The rest? They kept the bustling garment factories of the East End humming along-maybe a few pricked their fingers with needles along the way, but hey, fashion isn’t always pain-free!
As the world changed after the Second World War, so did the college. Men joined the ranks, and the schools evolved, merged, and swapped names faster than a model changing outfits backstage. By 1974, they became the London College of Fashion. From that point on, fashion’s biggest dreamers and doers checked in as students-and checked out as designers, business leaders, and runway legends. Some, like Jimmy Choo, would go from these halls to make history. I guess you could say they put their best foot forward-literally!
And there’s more: in 2000, Cordwainers College, a true legend in leatherwork and shoemaking since the days of Queen Victoria, joined up. Imagine the smell of fresh leather and the sound of hammers on shoes!
In 2023, the college strutted down the educational runway with its move to Stratford, settling into this purpose-built home designed to nod to the old mill buildings of London. Today, it’s part of the big, creative family at University of the Arts London, which means you might just bump into future fashion royalty on your walk. So, if you feel particularly inspired by the vibe here, don’t be surprised! That’s the magic of fashion: one look, one stitch, and the whole world seems new.
