Ms Deborah Southerland

About me

Deb Southerland is a Senior Lecturer + Programme Leader of BA Hons Fashion Textiles.

Deb is a Senior Fellow of the HEA. (SFHEA.)

As Programme Leader Deb oversees all areas of the Programmes design and delivery; this includes strategic and curriculum development, as well as operational planning and management. During her time at UWE she has delivered in a number of Academic and Leadership roles as Module Leader, Programme Leader and Interim Associate Head of Department.

 Deb has an extensive track record of innovative curriculum development across UG / PG programmes and led the new Programme development Teams for MA Design, D3, Fashion Communication and Fashion Textiles. Deb was co-Dept lead in the 22/23 Pass / Fail pilot for UG students at L4 which has now been adopted by all Programmes in the School of Arts. 

Drawing on an extensive network of Industry Leaders, Deb has brokered a series of high profile sponsored and collaborative opportunities for students that include live briefs with John Lewis, Henri Lloyd, French Connection, Max Mara, Superdry, Workwear International and Phoebe English. The inclusion of these briefs in the Programmes core-curricula ensures Students have authentic real-world learning experiences that elevate ambition and provide opportunity for Students to develop their own professional networks. 

As Programme Lead Deb has responsibility for the creative direction, design and delivery of the Programmes annual Showcasing events which includes events such as London Fashion Week Digital, Graduate Fashion Week, New Designers, Premier Vision Paris as well as Live Fashion events at the Arnolfini and the School of Arts Degree Show.

Deb is the Teaching and Learning lead for the Fashion Textiles Subject Association (FTC). In this role she founded and continues to lead an annual series of Teaching and Learning events, curating high profile seminars from Industry and Sector Leaders. The series aims to respond to emergent shifts in both Industry and Subject pedagogy; and to provoke reflection, debate and development in response to these.   

Deb is currently an External Examiner at De Monfort University and Central St Martins, and has held External Examiner positions at LASSALLE Singapore, Temasek Singapore, Goldsmiths University of London.

She has recently been invited to join the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide  ‘Inclusive Professional Clothing’ Steering Group PCIAW. 

Deb’s pedagogic approach sits at the intersection of Education and Industry, and is characterised by a commitment to inclusivity, evidence-based enhancement, and the creation of innovative learning opportunities that prepare Students for a range of Graduate destinations. Through interdisciplinary Studio teaching Debs pedagogy covers all areas of a Design methodology, and currently focuses on the following broadly defined areas: creative Research methodologies, critical ideation, Design thinking, inclusive Design methods and alternative modes of Fashion production.

Within these areas, Deb works with Students to facilitate an exploration of critical and expanded Fashion Textile Practices wherein Students can synthesise their individual strengths, creative vision and professional ambitions.

In addition to her Programme Leader Role Deb is L6 lead for the Fashion Textiles programme and Module Leader for the following Modules;

Professional Development on Placement // Placement Year UADAVA-30-3

Preparation for Extended Study in Fashion Textiles UADASX-30-3 // UADNC3-15-3

Extended Study in Fashion Textiles UADASY- 45-3 / UADAVK-30-3 

Professional Practice 3 UADAS3-30-3

Project Lead // L5 Workwear + Inclusive Design co-delivered with Workwear International. Design Studio 4 -Design Innovation

Area of expertise

 External to UWE Deb serves as Lead Academic for Learning and Teaching on the Association of Fashion Textile Courses (FTC) Steering Committee, where she founded and continues to deliver a national CPD platform for Fashion and Textiles educators across more than 55 UK HEIs. 

These events typically attract 30+ delegates and bring together Tutors, Industry figures and Sector Bodies. The sessions support cross-institutional dialogue, help align teaching practice with current industry expectations and have informed curriculum decisions in multiple universities.

This sustained programme has strengthened the currency and vibrancy of the Subject Association, directly supporting pedagogic agility and resilience across UK Fashion Education, while placing UWE Bristol at the centre of national Fashion Textiles Learning and Teaching discourse.

Selected Events include // 

Supporting students and avoiding academic burnout in this online COVID world.  Feb 2021 Event session with Guest Speaker Vicky Fong RCA and Chaired by Deb Southerland

Global and Sector Challenges and the effects on locating Graduate Audiences  Mar 2021 Event Speakers included Head of Government Relations & Education, British Fashion Council, Event Director, New Designers, Director of Brand Partnerships Graduate Fashion Week . Event Chair – Deb Southerland

'Designing Fashion's Future: Present Practice and Tactics for Sustainable Change'  Dec 2022. Event Speaker Dr Alice Payne Associate Professor in Fashion in the School of Design, Queensland University of Technology. Event Chair – Deb Southerland

 NSEAD + TFC – Whats happening with Key Stage 3?   Dec 2022. Event Speaker; Liz Macfarlane President of NSEAD the Professional Body for Art, Craft and Design Educators.  Event Chair – Deb Southerland

 Unpaid Placements - Looking at current practice and how to protect Students   Nov 2023. Event Speakers; Elliot Barlow Manufacturing Consultant UKFT  and Gill Gledhill Managing Director GGHQ Fashion Intelligence. Event Chair – Deb Southerland 

Digital Fashion; developing strategies for tomorrow’s workplace. Jan 2024. Event Speaker Lesley Holden The Digital Fashion Group. Event Chair – Deb Southerland

Applying Bio and Regenerative Materials Innovation into Pedagogy. Feb 2024. Event Speakers; Claire Anderson,  Chelsea College of Arts, UAL. Stephanie Rolph, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow: Bio-Inspired Design, UAL. Clemence Belbéoch, PhD Researcher De Montfort University. Jo Pierce & Rebecca Hoyes (Founders Colour/Matter, CSM, UAL). Event Chair Veronika Kapsali, Professor of Materials Technology and Design at the London College of Fashion.

Championing Inclusivity and Diversity in AI – Digital Models and Avatars Jan 2025. Event Speaker Cameron Wilson. Event Chair – Deb Southerland 

Cross Institutional Collaboration – a case study of the ‘Art, Design & Artificial Intelligence: An Educator’s Toolkit’ Project. Dec 2025

 ACID – Anti-Copying in Design. Feb 2026. Event Speakers Laura Newbold Breen and Marion Horwood from ACID, the UK’s leading design and Intellectual Property (IP) campaigning organisation. Event Chair – Deb Southerland

Caroline Stephenson, Director of the Centre for Fashion Curation at London College of Fashion - Fashion and Curatorial Practice. Chaired Event exploring Fashion Curation as Practice based Research. Oct 2026. Event Chair – Deb Southerland 

 

 

Publications