Anita Mitchell

Background

About Anita Mitchell

Anita is Principle Lecturer of Fashion and Head of the Fashion Section at Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University. She holds external examining posts at other key fashion institutes in the UK and has extensive experience in fashion technology hardware and software and is leading on an exciting new digital strategy for the institute. Anita is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is in the process of completing her Doctor of Education (EdD) and has recently authored a new book called Advances in Sewn Product Technology commissioned by the publisher Taylor and Francis. Other current interests include 3D fashion design and the digitalisation of the Fashion Industry. Anita began her career working as a designer for a well-known menswear brand in the UK and moved on as Product Developer for a leading British knitwear specialist whilst studying at London College of Fashion. This facilitated her career move to senior fit technologist and technical manager for one of the largest suppliers to the British Clothing Industry. Her product specialism spans light sewing, ladies & men's formal wear and casual wear, sports and leisurewear. She has been involved in developing a variety of highly technical apparel products such as pre and post cure non-iron apparel, and wet processing techniques. She was also involved in trail blazing technologies such as seam-free bonding and welding technology and the use of 3D digital fit technology to support agile and sustainable product generation. She has developed apparel for brands such as Ralph Lauren, Ted Baker and Hussein Chaylan. Her experience of off-shore manufacturing afforded her the opportunity to work as a Technical Manager in many locations around the world, such as Portugal, Morocco and Malaysia. Anita has also been fortunate to work alongside British Designers such as Katherine Hamnett when she supported the development of one of the first organic collections for Marks and Spencer Autograph range. This role also afforded her the opportunity to develop novel and innovative trims with some of the world’s leading trimmings suppliers. After an extensive career in the Fashion Industry, Anita moved on to work in Higher Education and her interest in pedagogy led her to the role of Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning whilst leading on a variety of key projects such as the development of the fashion innovation lab within the Manchester Fashion Institute and a variety of Higher Education and curriculum related reviews.