Leah Barrett, BSc

Leah Barrett joined a rapidly globalizing fashion industry in Mumbai, where she worked in export promotion, product development and production for manufacturing firms with retail clients El Corte Inglés, C&A, Marks and Spencer, and luxury brands like Lange. Work took her to European and Asian design studios, factories and trade shows. She worked for VF Asia in Hong Kong, overseeing South Asian operations with particular focus on Bangladesh. In Canada, she had roles as production manager, procurement and scheduling lead, at Robin Kay and Straton. 

French hand-embroidery has shaped her aesthetic and career. She launched Jabberdust, producing custom fabric for Canadian designers Pat McDonagh and David Dixon. Retailers, notably The Room at The Bay, Andrews and Brian Bailey carried Jabberdust soft accessories. Leah holds a master’s degree in Sustainability Studies, where she explored organisational and systems change, Canadian environment and sense of place, and Indigenous culture. This led to research in user-centered design and cultural sustainability. She holds governance and advisory roles that underscore her commitment to beneficial social and environmental change.