Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion Image at Manchester Metropolitan University's Manchester Fashion Institute, teaching BA (Hons) Fashion Art Direction and BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion courses. With over 20 years of industry experience as a commercial fashion and music photographer, he integrates professional practice into academic instruction.

His educational background includes:

• BA (Hons) Documentary Photography

Kelly's research centers on the nexus between fashion, music, and culture, examining how musical movements shape sartorial expression and vice versa. His work documents British subcultures through photographic practice, focusing on music icons' influence on fashion evolution and urban identity formation.

Recent creative outputs demonstrate consistent exploration of British youth culture, dandyism, and music-fashion symbiosis across documentary photography, exhibitions, and academic presentations. These works reveal evolving methodologies in visual cultural analysis spanning two decades.

As an educator, Kelly has placed numerous students into industry roles through:

• Fashion Promotion Unit Leader Showcase Level 4
• Fashion Art Direction Unit Leader Responding Level 4
• Fashion Art Direction Unit Leader Unit X Level 6

He also serves as Technical Resource Group Representative, Staff Mentor, and Admissions Tutor.

Collaborative projects form integral components of his practice, including 'My Utopia' with illustrator Emma Evans and '20 Year Party People' with Jonny Black, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary artistic teams and community engagement.