Meet the Team: Biographies
Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Dilys Williams
Director, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Dilys Williams FRSA is Director of Centre for Sustainable
Fashion, a University of the Arts Research Centre, which she
established in 2008, supported by London College of Fashion,
the centre’s base.
Guiding the centre’s exploration of fashion and sustainability,
her work contributes to the study of fashion as a life well lived
within ecological boundaries and practices of human equity. This
study is applied to new forms of education, business, public and
political dialogue.
Trained at Manchester Metropolitan University and holding
a UAL professorship, Dilys publishes widely on fashion and
sustainability in academic journals and published books.
Research projects include Shared Talent, re-connecting the
disconnect in the creative exchange of fashion creation to
acknowledge the roles of parts in a whole, (Trans)formations, the
development of new practices in education and business through
an academic-industry exchange, and Habit(AT), the exploration
of healthy city metabolisms through fashion’s role in culture and
social practice.
Nina Stevenson
Education for Sustainability Leader, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Nina is an educator and learning designer, and enjoys developing
complex sustainability focused concepts into creative and
measurable projects and curricula.
Nina’s work is to lead the CSF vision to pioneer world-relevant
teaching and learning for fashion design, business and
communication. This involves leadership at London College of
Fashion through the Education for Sustainability Transformation
Strategy, working with academics and support staff to ensure excellent
student experience and preparation for careers in a changing world.
Nina is leading Fashion Design for Sustainability as curricula through
co-creation with partners from higher education, research and industry
to find new experimental spaces for learning both in the classroom and
online. The delivery of these models informs the research work of CSF
and enhances our understanding of the essential skills and capabilities
for practitioners and creative thinkers of future fashion systems.
Previous projects have seen Nina collaborate with organisations
such as the British Council, Higher Education Academy, United
Nations, Defra, Kering, Forum for the Future, C&A Foundation,
FutureLearn.
She holds an MA Transnational Studies and a Certificate in
Education for Sustainable Development from the Earth Charter
Initiative.
Gabrielle Miller
Associate, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Gabrielle is a designer, researcher and lecturer working in the
the fashion industry. She works alongside CSF’s education team,
where she assists on curriculum development, as well as actively
contributing to research projects and student experience at
University of the Arts London.
She has worked in luxury fashion as a print and embroidery
designer for high-end companies such as Alexander McQueen,
creation of haute couture, traditional and advanced smart
material techniques. She is excited by the potential of new
technologies and interdisciplinary approaches that can create
new ways of teaching, learning and working in fashion and
sustainability.
Gabrielle is a graduate of London College of Fashion, and holds
education.
Renée Cuoco
Associate, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Renée has a background in law and fashion and textile design.
She applies a range of communication, creative and analytical
skills to devise and deliver impactful projects with team members
and a range of partners. With experience working in high-end
design and luxury, Renée has a holistic understanding of the
fashion industry from conceptual design and craftsmanship to the
driving factors behind commercial business.
Renée works across research, business and education to ensure
CSF’s vision is achieved.
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Meet the Team: Biographies
Renée is interested in cross-discipline collaboration and the role of
arts and design in the facilitation of social and ecological resilience.
Anna Fitzpatrick
Project Coordinator, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Anna’s work at CSF is to explore and expand ways in which our
objectives can be realized. She critically considers CSF’s values and
intentions, looking for ways for them to be appliedto our work and
working practices.
Anna has furthered her interests in the intersection of fashion and
politics, thinking through engagement and apathy in a fashion context
as well as seeking to understand more about the politics of sustainability
in fashion.
Previously, Anna lived in São Paulo for four years where she
supported the work of a women’s textile cooperative and worked
as a journalist for the Rio Times and Time Out.
Anna holds a BA in Politics from the University of Leeds and an
MA in the History and Culture of Fashion from the University
of the Arts London.
Kering
Marie-Claire Daveu
Marie-Claire joined Kering in 2012 as Chief Sustainability
Following a career as a senior civil servant in France, Marie-
Claire joined the private sector to encourage the adoption of
sustainability in business. During her tenure at Kering, she has
been responsible for the overarching sustainability strategy of the
Group and has guided the pioneering leadership in sustainability
that Kering is recognized for in the fashion industry.
Marie-Claire is a graduate of the French National Institute of
Agronomy Paris-Grignon, the École Nationale du Génie Rural
des Eaux et Forêts (National School of Rural Water and Forestry
Engineering). She also earned a Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures
Spécialisées (Diploma of specialised higher studies) in public
administration from Dauphine University, Paris.
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Eva Von Alvensleben
Head of Sustainability Strategy, Kering
Eva joined Kering in 2012 and is responsible at the Kering
Sustainability Department for directing strategic projects and
partnerships, sustainability governance, as well as innovation
management and has been vital to implement Kering’s
comprehensive sustainability strategic agenda. Recently, Eva led
the development of the new global Sustainability Strategy for
Kering Group for 2025. The Kering Group strategy “Crafting
Tomorrow’s Luxury” has set innovative standards on how to
employ sustainability in the fashion industry. It was developed
together with all CEOs and Executive Management teams of
the Kering brands and was overseen by Kering’s Executive
committee.
Eva holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from HEC and a
BSc in International Management from Bocconi University.
Géraldine Vallejo
Sustainability Programme Director, Kering
Géraldine joined Kering in 2013 to support Luxury Houses at
Kering to better integrate environmental and societal aspects into
all their processes and thus enable them to meet the ambitious
sustainability targets set by the Group. She oversees a team of
experts in sustainable sourcing and in low environmental impact
production. Together, they develop guidelines for the Houses and
ensure they are implemented through structured and innovative
programs. Géraldine is also responsible for sustainable innovation
and building strategic partnerships in this area.
Géraldine is a graduate from École Polytechnique, France and
has a Masters of Science in Environmental & Civil Engineering
from Stanford University, U.S.A.
Michael Beutler
Director of Sustainability Operations, Kering
Michael joined Kering 2011, and during his tenure, Michael
has been integral in operationalizing Kering’s comprehensive
sustainability strategy. He oversees and manages a team to
implement cross-cutting innovative approaches to help manage
and reduce the environmental impacts from Kering’s Luxury
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Meet the Team: Biographies
and Sport & Lifestyle brands. This includes being responsible for
(EP&L) at Kering and as a core part of the EP&L methodology
development, which was open-sourced in 2015. His team has
been instrumental in embedding sustainability across all of
the Group’s brands and making it a key part of their business
activities, as well as for being recognized by external rating
agencies and publications for Kering’s sustainability programme
excellence.
Michael holds a BA in Financial Administration from Michigan
State University, an MBA in Operations and a Juris Doctor in
Environmental Law from University of Colorado.
Helen Crowley
Head of Sustainable Sourcing Innovation, Kering
Helen supports Kering’s Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle brands
with innovative approaches to sustainability particularly
focused on sourcing of raw materials, improved manufacturing
processes and the integration of biodiversity and circular
economy principles into business. Prior to Kering, Helen worked
with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) for 12 years on
conservation strategy, program management and market-based
approaches to conservation.
Helen has committed her life to working for a better world
through biodiversity conservation, environmental education and
sustainable development. Now she sees that smart business can
innovate and help lead the way for a more sustainable world.
She has PhD in Zoology from the Australian National University
Exchange, Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network and the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature. She recently
joined the Editorial Advisory Board of the new journal, Nature
Sustainability.
Cecilia Takayama
Director, Materials Innovation Lab (MIL)
Cecilia joined Kering in 2007, previously working as COO of
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Gucci Group Japan in Tokyo and in the Gucci Group Strategy &
Acquisitions department in Paris. In her current role at Kering,
Cecilia has been integral to embedding sustainability across the
Group by managing the strategy and operations of the MIL.
Cecilia oversees the MIL’s team of experts in textiles, alternative
materials, R&D and supply chains, and drives cross-cutting
approaches to material innovation. As a key resource for Kering’s
brands the MIL supports and promotes the integration of more
sustainable materials into the brands’ supply chains.
Cecilia holds an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from
ESSEC Business School, a J.D. from the University of Virginia
School of Law and a BA with honors from Stanford University,
U.S.A.
Additional Expert Contributors
Alex McIntosh
Founder and Creative Director, CREATE SUSTAIN LTD
Formerly Course Leader for the ground breaking MA Fashion
Futures at London College of Fashion, Alex is a skilled
communicator, facilitator and consultant in sustainability.
He has built successful and productive relationships with a
wide variety of clients and collaborators inside and outside fashion
and worked extensively with a broad spectrum of creative SMEs
on everything from product development to communication and
business planning.
He was the Managing Director of the innovative menswear brand
Christopher Raeburn for a number of years and continues to act
as a strategic consultant for the brand.
His research interests revolve around the exploration of
business models that nuture sustainable innovation, community
engagement and creative thinking.
Rosemary Willatt
Sustainability Coordinator, London College of Fashion
Rosie’s role covers the operational aspects of sustainability at
the college such as energy, waste and biodiversity. She works on
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Meet the Team: Biographies

best sustainability practice and auditing for accreditation, and to
everyone can have an impact. She chairs the UAL Sustainability
MSci in Astronomy and working for the European Space Agency.
She then completed a PhD looking at polar climate change
through remote sensing of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice thickness
using satellite radar altimetry. Her degree and PhD, both at
UCL, inspired her to pursue a career in sustainability, and she
has worked at universities and as a Sustainability Consultant. She
is a member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences.
Before joining CUSP, Simon did a PhD at the Centre for
Environment and Sustainability (also at the University of Surrey).
This used economic models to explore the sustainability of
clothing supply chains, with a particular focus on using fair wages
to make clothing more socially and environmentally sustainable.
Alejandro Luna
Associate, Centre for Sustainable Fashion
Alejandro is an experienced sustainable fashion consultant,
business coach, scientist and artist working in fashion sustainability
and creativity.

Formerly Educational Projects Assistant at CSF, Alejandro

Liz Parker
Lecturer, researcher and facilitator
Liz’s work is focused on changing fashion systems through
education, research and facilitation. The setting of most of her
education work is at London College of Fashion across fashion
business, management and marketing courses where she teaches
a broad spectrum of fashion sustainability topics from workers’
rights to the sharing economy. Her current research is exploring
how the UK Modern Slavery Act is experienced by fashion
buyers for Centre for Sustainable Fashion and her facilitation
work utilises a range of techniques aimed at getting marginalised
voices heard in decision making processes. She is happiest
playing in the woods, and has been exploring how nature based
supported the development and research of educational projects,
including contributions to collecting research data. Before joining
CSF Alejandro worked as Plant and Biodiversity Scientist and
Communicator at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh where he
developed a deep understanding of the environmental challenges
we are facing. During this time he created workshops on
sustainability awareness and science communication using
creativity and drama techniques. Alejandro also trained as a
business coach with an international consultancy and specialises
in coaching artists and designers.
Originally from Colombia, Alejandro has a Masters of Science
in Biodiversity from Imperial College London, UK and a PhD in
Plant Sciences from University of Edinburgh, UK.

Previously, Liz worked in workers’ rights organisations such as the

Clean Clothes Campaign for 18 years.

Liz is a graduate of University of Sussex and holds postgraduate

learning in higher education.

Simon Mair
Ecological Economist, Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable
Prosperity, University of Surrey

Simon’s work explores the economics of fair and ecologically

sound societies. Currently, Simon is a research fellow and in this
role he is developing ecological macroeconomic models and
telling stories of sustainable futures.

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