Monique Lee Hylands-White

Principal Lecturer/Subject Leader for Fashion

Email: monique.hylands-white@culc.coventry.ac.uk

Monique has 10 years of academic leadership and management experience in higher education and 20 years of international fashion industry experience, with expertise in fashion B2B and B2C marketing, management, retail, events, partnerships, and PR. After receiving her MA from London College of Fashion in 2006, her work experience includes involvement in sportswear and intelligent garment research, trend forecasting, branding, PR, marketing, design, and management for international fashion brands. She runs 40 active social media accounts and currently has over 100,000+ followers. She also worked as a consultant specialising in international fashion collaboration projects with HEAD China London branch and Chinese luxury department store chain e-commerce site Yintai.com. Before joining Coventry University London as Principal Lecturer managing International Fashion Management and Marketing programmes in 2016, she taught at Birmingham City University BA and MA Fashion Design & Media courses and several other universities in the UK and abroad such as London College of Fashion, Shih Chien University and Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology.

She is highly effective in driving outstanding student experience and passionate about creating valuable career-focused opportunities for students. She has a strong commitment to providing students with the best possible curriculum design which is industry-connected, challenging, and supported by business data insights to measure the results and draw action plans for the team. This has been achieved through working closely with colleagues, employers, and industry professionals through her network to offer partnership projects, trips, visits, guest speakers, internships and job opportunities. Monique is an experienced academic manager who is familiar with challenges in UK higher education, and an enthusiastic user of digital technologies, platforms, and social networking platforms. She has a wealth of experience in quality assurance, academic policies and procedures, contributing, and influencing the student career-driven ethos to the committees and community: leading and inspiring to develop authentic industry challenge-focused assessment strategies and transferrable skills embedded in their studies to help students to be career ready. She is passionate about helping students reach their full potential and she is driven to create an experience where students can gain the confidence they need for a successful career, through learning in a simulated and progressive environment where they can thrive both academically and personally.

She has an accomplished record of success in leading and managing educators, supporting their growth, and inspiring them to collaborate and thrive. In her current role, she has built a wonderful team who have the student experience and success in their heart. She oversees 7 postgraduate, undergraduate, and CPD fashion courses and 13 cohorts of students annually, focusing on innovative teaching and learning methods, development, and academic strategies to enhance the cultures and identities of the courses and maintain excellent academic standards in all aspects of course organisation, administration and delivery. She is data-driven, analytical, and results-oriented. Her management approach is ethical and performance-focused to drive results, achieving the organisation's business goals while making employees feel appreciated, valued, and motivated to contribute more.

Having worked in the fashion industry globally for the past 20 years She has been involved in different areas such as design, research, management, consultancy, marketing and communication, PR, design, e-commerce, start-ups, and event organisation. During that time, she has gained extensive experience in all aspects of fashion operations. As an entrepreneur, she has successfully managed and directed a wide range of projects, events and exhibitions in London, Paris, Shanghai, Beijing, and Taipei, and engaged with 1385 partners and 11,100 consumers. She has a proven track record of managing complex projects, implementing new plans, establishing partnerships, and delivering satisfied customers and profit. Being a designer, she has a strong vision, trend sensibility, and understanding of the importance of design, craftsmanship, storytelling, and aesthetics. I am also an excellent leader and team player who values feedback and ideas to grow and improve continuously.

Having worked with a variety of stakeholders for such a long time, she has a deep understanding of the perspectives of both employers and educators. She is working towards the goal to nurture and manage the academic team and help them to develop and hone their skills and strengths to transform today's talents into tomorrow's leading creatives, business executives, and successful entrepreneurs.

Qualifications

Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Birmingham City University (2013)
Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice, Birmingham City University (2011)
MA Fashion Design and Technology, London College of Fashion, UAL (2006)
BA Fashion Design, Shih Chien University (2003)

Professional and Industry Memberships

Fellow of Higher Education Academy
Member of Staff and Educational Development Association

Research and Consultancy

Monique’s research areas are marketing, management, sportswear innovation, trend forecasting, consumer behaviour, Chinese fashion industry and consumer, and wearable technology. She is practitioner who curates, organises, and manages fashion events and e-commerce websites.

Monique launched Monique Lee Millinery in 2013, her approach to hat design is adventurous and experimental. Her designs have been featured in over 250 covers and editorials: VOGUE, Vanity Fair (Emma Watson, shot by Tim Walker, March 2017, and Kate McKinnon, shot by Annie Leibovitz, Nov 2017), L’Officiel, Schön!, Tatler, Hello!, Brides, AnOther, The Guardian, The Independent, Evening Standard, Sunday Times, Royal Ascot, Channel 4 Racing and more.

She has collaborated with many prestigious partners such as Shangri-La Hotel, at The Shard, Dorchester Collection Coworth Park Hotel and Spa, Birmingham City Council for Chelsea Flower Show, Le BHV MARIS. Her hats were also showcased at London Fashion Week, Copenhagen Fashion Week, Shanghai Fashion Week, Sotheby’s London, the Louvre, and EXPO Milano. Throughout her journey with Monique Lee Millinery, she has met and worked with many incredible talents. In 2014, she founded X Terrace fashion platform to help EU fashion talents to involve in paid fashion projects with overseas clients. She is the curator for the London Hat Week exhibitions since 2015. And she has also recently become one of the 8 official milliners among Philip Treacy OBE and Stephen Jones OBE for Royal Ascot Millinery Collective 2018. She was also commissioned by 20th Century Fox to create 20 hats to represent the unique characters in the celebrated film The Greatest Showman.

She launched the first e-commerce website for hat lovers ‘The Hat Circle’ in 2020 and launched ‘The Accessory Circle’ website in 2021. Her company X Terrace has collaborated with 57 partners, worked with 1370 press, 1185 fashion, and accessory brands, attracted 11,000 visitors to 6 opening parties, 6 accessory pop-up shops, and 19 accessory events in London, Paris, and Shanghai.

Publications and Scholarship Activities

Featured in Sveta’s Style editorial story in Cellotape magazine, July 2023
Featured in Access Art editorial story in Cellotape magazine, June 2023
Featured in Royal Ascot official Look Book, May 2023
Curated and organised London Fashion Home Christmas Market 2022 – 2023
Featured in Blurred Lines editorial story in No Reply magazine, October 2022
Curated and organised London Accessory Week 2021 - 2023
Organised annual pop-up accessory shops in London 2018 – 2022
Featured in Royal Ascot Modest Dress Code story featuring Ikram Abdi in Vogue magazine, June 2022
Featured in Royal Ascot Best Dressed in Evening Standard, June 2022
Featured in Call Me by My Name editorial story featuring Kai-Isaiah Jamal in British Vogue magazine, August 2021
Featured in Annie editorial story in Grazia ME magazine, July 2021
Curated and organised London Hat Week exhibitions 2015 - 2021
Curated a catwalk show in partnership with Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London, March 2020
Featured in Od Couture Do Chaosu editorial story in Vogue Polska, September 2019
Featured in the final edition of Brides magazine, September 2019
Invited as one of the 8 designers in Royal Ascot Millinery Collective alongside with millinery masters Philip Treacy OBE and Stephen Jones OBE, June 2018
Featured in Meadows editorial story in Blanc magazine, June 2018
Featured in Fashion Year Book editorial story in Mojeh magazine, May 2018
Featured in Natalie Rushdie story in Hello! Magazine, May 2018
Commissioned and featured in fashion film The Terrible Tale of Henrietta Tate, April 2018
Featured in fashion film for special anniversary issue of Vogue Arabia, April 2018
Featured in The New Way to Elevate Your All-Black Wardrobe in Vogue Arabia, March 2018
Featured in Night of Sleepless Love editorial story in Protagonist magazine, February 2018
Commissioned and featured in The Animal Ball by the Elephant Family, also exhibited at Sotheby’s, February 2018
Featured in Scala Regia magazine editorial story, January 2018
Featured in Cover story by Annie Leibovitz featuring Kate McKinnon in Vanity Fair, October 2017
Featured in Music Tribute editorial story in Hunger magazine, October 2017
Featured in cover story by Tim Walker featuring Emma Watson in Vanity Fair, March 2017
Featured in Boho-emian Rapsody editorial story in Schon magazine, November 2016
Showcased in official schedule catwalk show at Shanghai Fashion Week, October 2016
Featured on the cover of Shanghai Fashion Week daily express, October 2016
Featured in Luxury Files magazine editorial featuring Roberta Mattei, July 2016
Featured in Protagonist magazine featuring Faye Marsay, July 2016
Featured in Opulence issue of Nord magazine and a fashion film Statues, June 2016
Featured in Protagonist magazine featuring Rosie Day, June 2016
Featured in The Modern Mix 008 editorial story in Design Scene magazine, June 2016
Featured in front cover and special feature of Frida Kahlo editorial story in Vol.5 of House of Coco magazine, May 2016
Featured in Fated and Fabled magazine editorial, March 2016
Featured in All About Reece editorial in Deluxe edition of FV magazine, March 2016
Featured in L’officiel Hellas magazine editorial, January 2016
International Scholar at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. Invited by BIFT along with designer Jimmy Choo and other scholars from Spain, UK, Korea and Australia, December 2015 – Present
Organiser of Fashion Career Conference: Get Ready for the Real World. Hosting organisation: Coventry University London campus, December 2015
Featured in Nude magazine editorial story, October 2015
Commissioned and featured on front cover of Superior magazine, October 2015
Exhibited at On the Move Art and Fashion Festival. Invited by Terra Breeze and Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Taiwan, October 2015
London Fashion Week collaboration with fashion designer Sadie Clayton. Show and exhibition were hosted by Royal Academy of Arts, September 2015
Organiser & Speaker of Global Dialogues: Fashion Digital Marketing International Conference. Hosting organisation: Coventry University London campus, September 2015
Selected to represent UK to exhibit at EXPO 2015 Milano. Hosting organisation: EXPO Milano and Birmingham City Council, June 2015
Featured in Bystander, Chelsea Flower Show Best Fashion in Tatler UK magazine, May 2015
Chelsea Flower Show delegates fashion consultancy and hat design. Commissioned by Parks and Nature Conservation Department, Birmingham City Council, 2015
Featured in Total Black editorial story in L’officiel magazine, March 2015
Featured in The Fashion Sense in Pigeons and Peacocks magazine Issue 8, January 2015
Featured in Gray Matter editorial story in Tirade magazine, September 2014
Exhibited at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Organised by VOGUE Italia and MUUSE, August 2014
VOGUE V Talent Young Vision Accessories Designers – Global People’s Choice Award. Awarded by VOGUE Italia and MUUSE, April 2014
Exhibited at MAC and Birmingham Made Me Design Expo. Invited by MAC Birmingham, Millennium Point Think Tank and Birmingham City University, June 2013
BSEEN Young Entrepreneur Business Funding. Awarded by European Union, June 2013
Design Consultancy and Collaboration Project (Knowledge Exchange in Design. Founded by Arts & Humanities Research Council, March 2013
Award of Excellence - PhD Research Methodologies and Literature Review in Fashion.
Presented in Taiwan Scientific Symposium (UK Taipei Representative Office) at University of Birmingham, May 2012
Presented at FTC – Association of Fashion and Textile Courses PhD Research Conference, May 2011 & May 2012
Funded Research Project: Technology Development Programme (Taiwan Textile Federation). Leader of smart garment for the elderly citizen research project. Founded by Ministry of Economics, R.O.C., 2007
Funded Research Project: Technology Support Program for Intermediate Enterprises based in Taiwan. Leader of Fashion vs. Function Garment Production Project. Founded by Ministry of Economics, R.O.C., 2007
Funded Research Project: Technology Development Programme (Taiwan Textile Federation). Leader of Innovative Sportswear Design and Research project. Founded by Ministry of Economics, R.O.C., 2006
Award of Distinction and Finalist to represent Great Britain at Fashion Futures competition. Awarding Organisation: International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode and PFAFF in Carrousel de Louvre, Paris, June 2005

Teaching Areas

Internship Project (level 6)
Global Market Trends and Strategic Fashion Branding (level 7)
Applied Professional Creative and Academic Skills for the Fashion Industry (level 7)
Fashion Brand Immersion Retail Finance and Risk Management (level 7)
Internship Consulting Project, Creative Service Industries (level 7)
Fashion Marketing and Production Project (level 7)

Teaching Areas

Employability and Consulting Skills
Project Management
Trend Prediction and Fashion Forecasting
Entrepreneurship - Creating a Business Opportunity
London Fashion Live Project
Retail Enterprise Marketing and Management