Multi-billion Euro sportswear brand hooks up with Falmouth's Performance Sportswear course

When Philippe Picaud, Design Director of sportswear retail giant, Decathlon France, heard about University College Falmouth’s new BA(Hons) Degree in Performance Sportswear Design, he immediately made contact with Course Leaders, Jane and Patrick Gottelier, to express his interest in getting involved in the course and to arrange a visit as soon as his schedule allowed.

Philippe Picaud During a recent two-day visit, Mr Picaud delivered a fascinating presentation to students of the College’s BA(Hons) Fashion Design and BA(Hons) Performance Sportswear Design courses outlining Decathlon’s unique business and design philosophies, which have catapulted them to their current position as Europe’s largest retailer of sports clothing and equipment with a turnover in excess of 4 Billion Euros.

Mr Picaud was also able to view an exhibition of work by current BA(Hons) 3D Design students, visit the College’s spectacular open-plan Design Centre at Tremough, as well as the impressive new Fashion Studios at Woodlane, which house the latest technology and awe-inspiring, industry-standard facilities – from ‘high street curvy’ mannequins to machines that can weld hi-tech materials for performance sportswear.

“When I read about the new Fashion and Performance Sportswear Design degrees at Falmouth, I thought they were designed for us and I took no time in contacting Patrick and Jane Gottelier,” said Philippe Picaud. “As a leading player in the sportswear business with more than one hundred designers on board, the Performance Sportswear course is very relevant to Decathlon,” he added. “I see University College Falmouth as a potential partner for a long term relationship, which would not only allow us to source new talent for our design team, but also help us to develop a design programme to stimulate our in-house designers.”

This kind of high-profile partnership is also of great benefit to Falmouth’s students, as Patrick Gottelier explains: “Whilst our two new courses are firmly rooted in Cornwall, and are making an impact on the fashion and retail scene in the county, they have been designed to meet the demands of the global industry. We have already established links in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Australia, which will enable students to work with design companies and manufacturers across the world using our latest video-conferencing technology. We are delighted to welcome Decathlon as an international partner and look forward to visiting Philippe and his team in France at the end of this month to discuss further how we might provide enhanced opportunities for our students to gain real-world experience in this emerging and dynamic field of design.”

For further information about Performance Sportswear Design at Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/performancesportswear; email admissions@falmouth.ac.uk or telephone 01326 213852.

For further information about Decathlon, visit www.decathlon.co.uk

Design at Falmouth has an enviable reputation for producing the industry stars of the future and combines live project briefs; opportunities for work to be showcased nationally and internationally; exceptional facilities, and high-level professional expertise to ensure that graduates hit the ground running in the fast-paced design industry. Design at Falmouth also attracts world-class speakers, such as Ed Barber, Jay Osgerby and Tomoko Azumi.

University College Falmouth is a founding partner in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC), a unique initiative to promote regional economic regeneration through Higher Education. The CUC is funded mainly by the European Union (Objective One), the South West Regional Development Agency, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England, with support from Cornwall County Council.

Ends

For further information about this press release, please contact: Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University College Falmouth, Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 4RH, Telephone: 01326 213792, or email: jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk

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Multi-billion Euro sportswear brand hooks up with Falmouth's Performance Sportswear course

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