Hi! My name is Gabe Robinson, I am the owner and director of Hunter Institute of Fashion, Newcastle's newest and only bespoke fashion business college offering nationally accredited training whilst mentoring the next generation of fashion lovers enter such a competitive industry.

THE PROBLEM
The fashion industry has changed dramatically over the past 15 years, with the influx of fast fashion retailers like Zara & H&M etc, the expansion of the internet/online buying space and the manufacturing boom of china/India/Bali has all lead to a very different fashion industry than the one that existed previously.
The one thing that has not changed is how the next generation of workers for this industry are trained.
To date, the avenue into fashion is through a qualification in fashion design, a very trade based training system of sewing and pattern making. But these trades have now moved off shore to other countries.
meaning the requirement for these skills has also gone off shore.
Now what we have is an industry requiring more business savvy minded multi skilled industry professionals to run the bigger picture business elements of the fashion industry, yet we keep training seamstresses and pattern makers...

THE SOLUTION
My college! which i have been working solely on funding, setting up and establishing over the past year. im are about to kick off my second intake of students, with our current students half way through their one year Diploma of business course.

The entire reason i took on this project was basically to provide the institution and mentoring service I wished existed here when i was trying to establish my fashion career in Newcastle over 14 years ago. The premise of the college was to create an institution for the 18yo me, and the me with an 18yo- modern relevant training, diversified use of a qualification, mentoring, and connections to help young professionals make their way!