Naomi Braithwaite

Dr. Naomi Braithwaite is an Associate Professor at the Nottingham School of Art and Design, Nottingham Trent University (NTU), specializing in Fashion and Material Culture. Her research employs ethnographic methods to explore relationships between fashion, identity, and material culture, with global collaborations. She leads projects like the Shoe and Tell initiative, examining footwear’s role in self-identity, and the Virtual Shoe Salon, a participatory study during the pandemic. Her work bridges academia and industry, with exhibitions at venues like the V&A and Chatham House. She teaches on MA Fashion Management, Luxury Branding, and Communications courses at NTU and holds external examiner roles at leading UK institutions.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts in Theology and History of Art
• Master of Arts in History of Textiles and Dress
• Master of Research in Anthropology (UCL)
• PhD in Fashion and Material Culture (NTU)

Research Focus: Naomi’s work centers on footwear as a lens for exploring identity, sustainability, and consumer behavior. Her projects include the Graduation Shoes Project (2019–2023), analyzing student shoe choices, and collaborations on sustainable fashion curricula with Hong Kong Design Institute. She also explores digital impacts on fashion retail and celebrity culture.

Advising & Grants: Naomi supervises PhD students across Fashion departments at NTU and contributed to the EPSRC-funded CIEMAP project. She advises initiatives like the National Saturday Club and STEM Ambassadors, promoting educational outreach.

Labs/Teams: Collaborations include projects with Manchester Metropolitan University on sustainable fashion education, Hong Kong Design Institute’s Fashioning Change, and advisory roles at Northampton Art Gallery and the Global Health Film Festival.