Katie joined Leeds Arts University in 2019 as a part-time Lecturer on the BA (Hons) Fashion Design course and currently teaches across level 4 and 5. As a former student, Katie completed a Foundation in Art and Design before leaving Leeds to study a degree in Womenswear at Northumbria University.

After graduating Katie moved to New York where she spent 12 years as a Fashion Designer working for brands including Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch and J.Crew. During this time Katie gained extensive knowledge of trend, fabric, designing, construction and production. Frequent travel to work in overseas factories gave Katie a comprehensive understanding of the production process and the impact that mass production has on a global scale.

During this time her designs were often featured at New York Fashion Week and in publications including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.

In 2015 Katie returned to Leeds and worked as a freelance Fashion Designer before establishing a high-end sustainable accessories label. Her current professional practice focuses on traditional leatherwork, and her past research explores how craftsmanship can play an important role in responsible design solutions, and how this can be integrated into students’ design thinking.

Katie’s teaching blends academic input with industry experience; having worked as both a Highstreet and Independent designer it enables her to help support and prepare students for a career within the fashion industry. In 2022 Katie achieved Fellowship status from the Higher Education Academy.

Artefacts

Roe, Katie (2019) Traditional leather making.