FIREup: Fashion Innovation Research and Enterprise

英国是世界上一些最具创意和创新的设计师时装公司的诞生地，其中许多是小微企业。这些公司、供应链和中介机构构成了英国设计师时尚产业，构成了一个鲜为人知的复杂互动网络。英国时装协会（British Fashion Council）发现了一些阻碍该行业充分发挥增长潜力的问题。这些挑战包括整个行业缺乏正式的研发文化，设计师时尚行业内部缺乏知识和联系，知识交流和开放创新实践薄弱。FIREup项目将解决这些问题。具体而言，FIREup将专注于创建一个原型数字平台，该平台将为行业研究新的知识交换模式（KE），并促进开放式创新。该平台将为学术/ b2b互动创建一个可访问的知识库，将研究方法整合到行业中，在科学和设计学科之间建立新的合作关系，并通过分享最佳实践来支持行业减少碳足迹。该平台将成为一个研究工具，提供识别知识和资产流动的定量数据。它还将用于促进与资助呼吁相关的研究合作。新参与者将登记有关他们自己的信息，这些信息将为研究需求、集群形成、现有网络和合作以及KE模型提供有价值的见解。沙坑将形成公开的研究呼吁，以测试和验证平台。项目合作伙伴和中小企业将通过代金券（由FIREup资助）提供研究。研究项目的成果将作为案例研究，展示平台，并用于传播活动。该平台将是在线的，使注册参与者可以随时访问数据。它将很容易更新，以考虑到行业内的快速变化。FIREup将利用已建立的网络和来自专注时尚的英国高等教育机构的现有校友，以确保项目初期的快速发展。伦敦艺术大学（UAL）将领导FIREup项目，利用校友网络中的社会资本，与该领域的小企业合作，特别是那些没有接触或利用新研究发展的小企业。研究将以实践为主导，并回应业界和学术界之间的需求，包括：-在行业内不同层面建立关系的机会，帮助中小企业进入更广泛的设计师时尚生态系统，以推广他们的产品，获得新的联系，并利用学术/创业专业知识。探索学术界和工业界的研究和设计流程，以及如何在科学和纺织学科之间建立新的合作关系。-建立沟通和协作平台，增加KE机会，发展研发联盟并提供新的研究见解。来自UAL和项目合作伙伴的多学科研究团队将利用他们重要的专业知识和社会资本来确保FIREup的成功。时尚企业中心（CFE）和设计师-制造商创新支持中心（DISC）将为英国设计师时尚经济提供见解。反犯罪设计研究中心（DACRC）将为设计研究提供知识和经验，以获奖的实践为导向的开放式创新方法。可持续时尚中心（CSF）和纺织品期货研究中心（TFRC）将在创新和可持续发展方面贡献知识。时装设计工作室（FDS）将支持设计师时装企业采用新的数字技术。预计开放的KE平台将在项目持续时间之外为设计师时尚行业带来巨大的有益遗产。

The UK is the birthplace of some of the world's most creative and innovative designer fashion companies, of which many are small and micro enterprises. These companies, supply chains and intermediaries constitute the UK designer fashion industry and consist of a poorly understood complex web of interactions. The British Fashion Council has identified a number of issues that is preventing the industry from reaching its full growth potential. These challenges include lack of a formal R&D culture across the industry, lack of knowledge and contacts within the designer fashion industry and weak knowledge exchange and open innovation practices. The FIREup project will address these issues. Specifically, FIREup will focus on the creation of a prototype digital platform that will research new models of knowledge exchange (KE) for the industry and foster open innovation. The platform will create: an accessible knowledge base for academic/B-2-B interactions, integrate research methodologies into the industry creating new collaborations between science and design disciplines, and support the industry to reduce its carbon footprint by sharing best practice. The platform will be a research tool that delivers quantitative data identifying knowledge and asset flows. It will also be used to catalyse research collaborations linked to funding calls. New participants will register information about themselves that will provide valuable insight into research needs, cluster formations, existing networks & collaborations and KE models.Sandpits will shape open research calls to test & validate the platform. Project partners & SMEs will deliver research supported by a voucher (funded from FIREup). Outcomes of research projects will be presented as case studies, showcasing the platform and also used for dissemination activities. The platform will be online, making the data readily accessible to registered participants. It will be easily updateable to take account of rapid changes within the industry.FIREup will draw upon established networks and existing alumni from fashion focused UK HEIs to ensure initial rapid project development. The University of the Arts London (UAL) will lead the FIREup Project leveraging the social capital vested within alumni networks to engage with small businesses within this sector, particularly those that do not access or take advantage of new research developments.Research will be practice-led and respond to the need for KE between industry and the academia, including:- Relationship-building opportunities at different levels within the industry, helping SMEs to access the wider designer fashion ecosystem in order to promote their products, access new contacts and tap into academic/entrepreneurial expertise.- Exploring research and design processes in academia and industry and how new collaborations between science & textile disciplines can be developed.- Building communication & collaboration platforms, to enhance KE opportunities, develop R&D consortia and provide new research insight.A multi-disciplinary research team from across UAL and project partners will leverage their significant expertise and social capital to ensure FIREup is a success. The Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE) and Designer-Manufacturer Innovation Support Centre (DISC) will contribute insights into the UK designer fashion economy. Design Against Crime Research Centre (DACRC) will contribute knowledge/experience of award winning practice-led open innovation approaches to design research. The Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF) and Textile Futures Research Centre (TFRC) will contribute knowledge focused on innovation and sustainability. Fashion Design Studio (FDS) will support designer fashion enterprises to adopt new digital technologies.It is anticipated that the open KE platform has potential for significant beneficial legacy to the designer fashion industry beyond the project duration.