For over four years, the Fashion Business School (FBS), London College of Fashion, has partnered with IMRG, the voice of eCommerce in the UK, in a forward-thinking collaboration that connects academic research with real-world retail strategy. IMRG are a membership community comprising businesses of all sizes – multichannel and pureplay, SME and multinational, and solution providers to industry.
This long-standing partnership offers students across a range of FBS courses the opportunity to contribute to live research that directly supports the UK’s e-commerce sector. To date, more than 300 students have taken part, applying their academic knowledge to industry-focused challenges. Participants have included those from BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing, BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising, MSc Strategic Fashion Management, and other related undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The collaboration centers around research cycles that take place two to three times per year, focusing on key areas such as e-commerce website optimisation, customer experience, and user journey evaluation. Students begin the process by working individually to collect data from a wide range of retail websites. They then work collaboratively in teams to analyse the data, identify patterns, and draw out actionable insights.
The consolidated research findings are shared with IMRG, who include the insights into their own reporting and present the overall data as part of their regular presentations to member retailers. This ensures that the work students produce feeds directly into the strategic conversations taking place at the heart of the UK’s online retail industry.
This collaboration demonstrates the value of connecting academic learning with practical industry needs. Students gain real-world experience in research and consultancy, while IMRG and its members benefit from the fresh perspectives and evidence-based analysis provided by the next generation of fashion business professionals.
To find out more, watch the IMRG & FBS, LCF collaboration video.