Leslie Whittaker
Leslie is a Senior Lecturer and the Course Director for our BA (Hons) International Fashion PR and Communications Top-Up.
Leslie has been a PR and marketing professional in the fashion industry for over 25 years, before coming to teaching. She began her career as an independent retailer and streetwear designer in Toronto, Canada, where she founded the store Uncle Otis. The store featured pioneering brands such as Cross Colours, and became the exclusive retailer for Stussy. Leslie then moved to the UK to focus on PR and Communications, specialising in luxury accessories. She has worked in senior PR and Communications roles for brands such as Manolo Blahnik and Bally, at international PR agencies, and has also run her own PR and brand consulting agency since 2011.
Qualifications
- BA (Hons) History and Anthropology, York University Canada (1991)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Coventry University (2021)
- Currently completing MSc in Marketing
Research and Consultancy
Leslie continues to consult on PR and marketing strategies for fashion brands, start-ups, PR agencies, editors and stylists. Her research interests include the changing role of PR within the fashion industry, the evolution of fashion retail, heritage vs. new trends, and museum exhibitions as brand communication tools, including the role of creativity within the business of fashion.
Teaching Areas
Undergraduate (Level 6)
- International Strategic Brand Marketing
- Fashion Management and Operations
- Internship and Dissertation Supervision
- PR and Communication
- Professional PR Practice
- Copywriting for Fashion
