Great British Sewing Bee star keeping traditional crafts alive

The Blackburn-based fashion designer and businessman visited Ladybridge High School in Bolton to inspire and inform young people about careers in craft.

Patrick, who has clothed film stars and royalty, and has his own Savile Row business, stressed the importance of ethical and sustainable clothing to an audience comprised of pupils from Ladybridge High School, Bury’s Derby High School and St Gabriel’s RC High School, Abraham Moss Community School, and Rochdale’s Falinge Park High School.

Derby High School pupils

“We need to stop buying bad stuff that’s made from bad materials and start making and buying good stuff that’s made locally, and made out of good materials,” said Patrick.

“If we lose traditional crafts then we will never get them back, so I hope [the event] inspires you and encourages you to consider a career where you make things.

“A job doesn’t have to be one where you’re at a computer, you could be using your hands to make something amazing.

“It’s only by having opportunities to try a bunch of things that you’re going to find the thing that really lights up your imagination.”

Patrick gave them food for thought when he revealed that there is already enough clothing on the planet to clothe the human race for the next 150 years.

Throughout the day, pupils were able to try their hands at hat making with Holly Johnson, pewter casting with Ella McIntosh, neon sign making with Richard Wheater and willow-weaving with Joe Gegory.

Patrick praised Ladybridge headteacher Paddy Russell for having the vision to provide a curriculum that allows pupils to experience creativity.

Mr Russell said: “We were delighted to host the Endangered Crafts Day. The young people from Ladybridge, and a number of other schools, learned all sorts of new skills on the day and it helped to build an appreciation of the benefits of creating and crafting our own products, rather than relying on buying items that are made by others. 

“Patrick’s speech was inspirational and full of knowledge about the impact of the fashion industry on the planet. Importantly, the learners took away ideas on how they can change things for the better.”

The Lancashire Thread

In 2015 Patrick learned that Cookson & Clegg, a clothing manufacturer in Blackburn, established in 1860, was on the brink of closure. The factory, a key supplier for him, was set to shut its doors, putting 60 employees out of work and further eroding the region’s textile industry, which had already seen numerous factories close over the years.

Recognising the devastating social and economic impact this would have on the community, Patrick decided to step in and save Cookson & Clegg from closure by purchasing it

This move became part of broader vision for Patrick, who wanted to rejuvenate hubs of skilled labour and quality manufacturing. This vision led to the creation of Community Clothing.

This network of partnerships helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and community-focused clothing brand.

Community Clothing quickly became an integral part of the local culture, playing a major role in the newly established Festival of Making. This festival celebrated local manufacturing and craftsmanship, drawing attention to the region’s rich industrial history and contemporary innovations.

Additionally, Community Clothing initiated the first schools engagement programme with local Lancashire schools, inspiring the next generation with the heritage and future possibilities of the textile industry.

In 2021, Patrick and Community Clothing embarked on an ambitious and groundbreaking project called Homegrown/Homespun, in collaboration with Northern England Fibreshed and The British Textile Biennial.

This regenerative fashion project aimed to reintroduce the cultivation of flax and woad—plants used for linen and indigo dye, respectively—to Lancashire, a practice that had not been seen in the region for nearly fifty years.

Homegrown/Homespun sought to bridge the gap between farming and fashion, emphasising the importance of sustainable, locally sourced materials. The project represented a significant step towards creating a fully localised linen clothing line and reviving traditional agricultural practices in Blackburn and the surrounding areas.

Patrick’s efforts have not only preserved jobs and a historic factory but have also sparked a broader movement towards sustainable and community-oriented manufacturing.

Through Community Clothing and initiatives like Homegrown/Homespun, Patrick is revitalizing Lancashire's textile heritage, fostering local talent, and promoting a sustainable future for the industry.