Jimmy Choo's JCA/London Fashion Academy opens new artisan-focused campus

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 21, 2022

Professor Jimmy Choo's JCA/London Fashion Academy has announced the opening of a new “campus and maker space centred on artisan design and craftsmanship” in West London.

The original JCA, which recently staged its delayed show post-London Fashion Week, is based on Hanover Square in London’s Mayfair, at the heart of one of the city’s main luxury retail districts. But the new branch is in Brentford, in the historic Boston Manor House. 

We’re told that the new Academy puts the focus on “artisan crafts, design, and accessory making, whilst dedicating itself to unearthing and sculpting a new wave of creative talent that its new base will accommodate”. 

It’s in a historic building that will house atelier workshops and design studios with specialist fabrication tools, co-working and event spaces open to the public. It will also “act as a venue for arts and crafts markets” and it said that “the Academy aims to add a touch of flair and creativity to create a long-term progressive socio-economic impact on the local community of Brentford”.

The co-working studio spaces are based on a “simple subscription model” and are designed to “help the next generation of designers not only create products but also market them under the guidance of industry specialists”. 

To support an array of artists, designers, and creative professionals, Boston Manor House will provide a space for the essential production of textiles, leather goods, woodwork, resins, metals, and gemstones. 

JCA said that “through the process of training and mentorship, alongside accredited short courses, the Academy will create a space for industry innovators to develop the skills needed to turn their passion into a scalable and sustainable business”.