A new landmark agreement brings together department store Fenwick, and the University of Kent, with a formal new partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding, which marks this exciting new collaboration embedded in the city of Canterbury. There will be increased opportunities for student employability, creativity and work-based learning for University of Kent students.
Partnering over the recent ‘Threads and Legends: Past, Present and Future’ event, Fenwick and Kent celebrated the 60th year since the University’s founding with a runway show inspired by fashion and music across the last six decades. The catwalk also showcased our student designers and ASPIRE businesses, performances from Kent student societies, and fundraising for the University’s Sanctuary Fund and Opportunity Fund. The event highlighted what a partnership could achieve, by being inclusive, creative, and a huge amount of fun.
The collaboration is about extending reach and creating opportunities for the both parties. Alongside employability, skills development and creative opportunities, the partnership directly supports two life changing initiatives – the Sanctuary Fund, which provides financial assistance to students who have sought sanctuary in the UK, and the Kent Opportunity Fund which helps students who face unexpected financial hardship. Fenwick’s platform, customer community and in-kind support will broaden the impact, supporting more students to achieve their ambitions.
For Fenwick, the partnership brings new ideas from a diverse community. Working together Kent and Fenwick will be putting together events, fundraising, student– led product design, brand engagement, and digital content.
Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, Acting Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Kent, said: “Employability and creativity are at the heart of our student experience at Kent. In partnering with Fenwick, our diverse, talented and enthusiastic student community will engage in more depth with a business that is rooted in the city of Canterbury. We are especially proud that this collaboration will directly support students through the Sanctuary Fund and Kent Opportunity Fund, while also opening up creative and employment opportunities for our students.”
Maria Barnfield, Fenwick Canterbury Store Director said: “We are proud to partner with the University of Kent and its vibrant community of more than 18,000 students, strengthening our connection with the local community through this collaboration. Supporting students and young people across Canterbury is incredibly important to us, and this partnership reflects our shared commitment to creativity, opportunity and nurturing the future talent of the region.”
Students from the School of Arts and Architecture will be designing wrapping paper and packaging to be produced and used in Fenwick from a genuine business brief as part of the course experience. These experiences set a Kent education apart as they engage in genuine creative collaboration with a brand that has a strong reputation and exceptional standards. University of Kent students will be prioritised for seasonal staff opportunities, and there will be platforms for students to showcase their talents and creativity in store – from sets by student DJ’s to exhibiting our student entrepreneurial start up scheme ASPIRE brands.
The collaboration launched in May with a Devil Wears Prada 2: The Red Carpet Experience VIP launch night at The Gulbenkian Arts Centre, celebrating the film’s premiere with immersive fashion inspired experiences, exclusive guest appearances, and a glamorous red-carpet atmosphere which gave a sense of what this partnership has already produced and will build on in the future.
For more about the Kent Opportunity Fund and Sanctuary Fund, visit kent.ac.uk. For enquiries, contact the University of Kent Communications team pressoffice@kent.ac.uk