Susan Atkin

Dr Susan Atkin is a Senior Lecturer and Division Head for Fashion Design at Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University. Her career bridges academic research, teaching, and independent fashion practice through her label Electricity (2000-2015).

• PhD in Fashion Studies (2016) focused on Manchester's cultural identity through fashion
• PGCE in Education and BA (Hons) First Class in Fashion Studies from University of Derby

Research interests center on:

• Fashion's role in cultural identity formation
• Subcultural and post-subcultural theory
• Manchester's textile heritage and oral histories
• Working-class dress practices
• British menswear production networks

Supervision includes PhD candidates exploring topics like football shirts, adult female body representation, sustainable footwear, and Chinese fashion identity. Key publications include her 2023 co-edited book Memories of Dress: Recollections of Material Identities and articles analyzing Madchester's fashion legacy. Collaborative projects include Locating Menswear (AHRC-funded) and Cottonopolis visual research with photographer Ollie Morris.