Helen Paine trained as a knitted textile designer at Central Saint Martins (2008) and Royal College of Art (2011). Her PhD was sponsored by an engineering R&D organisation to investigate advanced methods for joining textiles. An interest in pushing textile material development through a practice-led approach was developed by her doctoral research applying a combination of craft-design and scientific methods. New functional surface and seam treatments for stretch fabrics were developed. A key outcome has been a patent application on a method to control the elastic behaviour of stretch fabrics for sportswear applications, using laser technology for a targeted and graduated compressive effect on the body.
Since graduating from her PhD (2016) Helen has spent time working as a lecturer and designer on innovation projects in the sportswear and automotive industries; and, most recently, has been working as a Research Assistant for the Centre for Circular Design team at University of the Arts London.
Her core interests lie in material innovation, sustainability and craft futures. Her established approach fuses the interests of academia with industry and provides solutions through applied research.
Twitter: @helenpaine21
Instagram: @helenpaine95