Ruitong (Esther) Cui

Ruitong (Esther) Cui

GAF board member, London and Shenyang/China.

Esther earned her PhD in Fashion Management and Marketing from the University of Manchester in 2025, following a Bachelor’s degree in the Psychology of Fashion from the University of the Arts London in 2021. During her undergraduate studies, she co-founded Overdress Magazine, an independent publication exploring the psychological dimensions of fashion—well-being, identity, and ethical issues across the industry. This early venture shaped her commitment to responsible, human-centric fashion cultures and provided foundational experience in editorial leadership and community engagement.

Before moving to the UK, Esther spent four formative years (2014–2018) studying in Geneva, an experience that cultivated her international outlook and sparked her interest in cultural diversity, ethics, and the social dynamics of creative work. This period informed the values that now underpin her research and teaching.

She is currently a Lecturer in Fashion Business and Entrepreneurship, where she unites academic inquiry with practical perspectives on how fashion organisations navigate change, develop responsible strategies, and build inclusive cultures. Her research examines responsible innovation and marketing strategy, with a focus on how organisations respond to evolving expectations around sustainability and ethics. She specialises in qualitative methodologies that illuminate lived experiences across fashion’s global value chain.

Esther is also dedicated to the development and empowerment of young people entering the creative industries. Her teaching philosophy emphasises confidence-building, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial capability. She has been recognised for her teaching contribution and holds Fellowship of the Higher Academy, demonstrating her commitment to high-quality, inclusive education. She regularly contributes to interdisciplinary workshops and mentoring initiatives that bring students, academics, and practitioners together to discuss the future of fashion and creative work.

In addition to her academic role, Esther serves as an Adviser at Artelogy, a platform supporting fashion-focused cultural and artistic projects. She offers strategic insight and research-informed perspectives to initiatives that bridge fashion, culture, and community engagement—work that aligns with her broader interest in fostering responsible creative practices and strengthening connections between research, industry, and cultural organisations.

Esther remains actively involved in cross-disciplinary dialogues addressing the social and ethical dimensions of fashion, championing collaborative approaches that support more sustainable and equitable futures for the creative industries.