Delphine Wilson

Programme Leader: BA (Hons) Fashion Design

School for the Creative Industries
Delphine Wilson

Delphine joined the University of Chester in January 2016 as programme leader in Fashion Design.

She has been Programme Leader for BA Fashion Design at Liverpool John Moores University, Lecturer in Knitted Textiles at University of Manchester and external examiner at University of the Arts London for the CSM Fashion pathways in Menswear BA, Knitwear BA and Diploma in Professional Studies (placement in industry year).  She is also the External Examiner for BA Footwear and Accessories at Northampton.

Her creative approach to Fashion is fuelled by first hand experience gained as a practicing multi product womenswear and menswear designer/consultant within the fashion industry.  She has worked with many international fashion companies and production factories in Italy, Spain and Portugal developing luxury collections, which have been sold and distributed globally.

This Industry specific knowledge helps to fuel and drive her enthusiasm for creating innovative academic learning platforms fed from real experience and knowledge of the contemporary fashion industry.

As well as her current role as Programme Leader in Fashion Design, Delphine has held a number of lecturing posts in Fashion and Textile including:

  • Programme Leader and Principal Lecturer in Fashion and Textiles - Liverpool John Moores University
  • Fashion Knitwear Lecturer and researcher - University of Manchester
  • Programme Leader/Senior Lecturer - Fashion and Textiles Foundation (Bournville College of Art) – Birmingham City University
  • Guest lecturer – RCA Knitwear MA

External examiner roles

Central Saint Martin’s - University of the Arts (2011 - 2015)
External Examiner
  • Knitwear (BA Hons) 
  • Menswear (BA Hons)
  • Diploma in Professional Studies (Ind. placements)
  • Fashion Promotion & Communication (BA Hons) 2011-12
The University of Northampton – (2016-2019)
External Examiner
  • Fashion & Textiles – BA Footwear and Accessories

Delphine’s research is focused around practice based design and consultancy within the Luxury Fashion Market.

In particular, her knitwear design has achieved international recognition due to its quirky, unconventional approach to construction.   

As part of her research she pioneered the development of a unique vector CAD system, which helps translate 3D sculptural garment forms into graphed ‘body maps’, which are interpreted into complex hand knitted structures.  

This results in garments that have been ‘engineered’ by craft, but strongly promote non-conventional construction techniques and unusual surface interest. 

Stockists include:  L' Eclaireur (Paris), Antonioli, (Milan) We TAD Concept Store Milan & Rome, pnp-firenze, (Florence) H Lorenzo, Ron Herman, Curve (Los Angeles, Henri Bendel and Bergdorf Goodman (New York), Podium (Moscow), Estnation (Tokyo), French Connection (London and New York), Harrods, Liberty and Browns (London). 

Her designs have been worn by celebrities such as Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Sharon Osborne and Jessica Simpson.

Exhibitions/Lectures 

‘We are Fashion’ - British Council exhibition - Tokyo 2005 (one of only two fashion companies chosen to represent the UK)
 
Key Speaker - ‘Fashion Design and the Creative Industries’- Russia and Siberia April 2005 sponsored British Council 

Fashion Exhibitions  - International Fashion Weeks

London Fashion Week twice yearly exhibitions - 1997- 2008
Paris Workshop at the Samaritaine - 2003-2004
The Coterie - New York - 2004
Paris Sur Mode in Tuileries Garden (Paris) - 2005-2007
Catwalk show at On/Off - London – February 2008
PittiUomo – Florence Italy - 2007
Tranoi Homme Paris - 2006-2010
Tranoi Femme Paris - 2007-2013

Press and publications

Vogue, The Telegraph, Drapers, Surface Magazine, Spur (Japan), Womenswear Daily, Attitude, Jeune Creatifs, Mail on Sunday
  • MA Fashion and Textiles - Distinction
  • Pgdip Fashion and Textiles
  • BA Hons Fashion and Textiles - First Class Honours