Patrick Grant: On Why Less can be More – Findings from the Fashion Industry
- Date
- 16 Nov 2026 · 6:00PM - 8:00PM
- Price
- £20 (incl a glass of wine or a soft drink)
- Venue
- The Goldsmiths’ Centre, London EC1M 5AD
- Programme type
- Talks
Most of us own too many things, whether it is clothes bursting from wardrobes or trinkets tangled together in jewellery boxes. How have we got to this point and why is it so hard to break the cycle of over consumption? What can we in the jewellery industry learn from the fashion industry as we look to promote quality over quantity, and the value of craftsmanship?
Join clothier and businessman Patrick Grant – known to many as judge of the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee – in conversation, as he dives into the piles of things we buy and the rationale behind choosing fewer and better.
The phrase ‘fast fashion’ has become ubiquitous, but our understanding of the impact of skyrocketing levels of production hasn’t grown as quickly. Based on the research and findings behind his new book Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish: How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier, Patrick will relate his experience in the world of fashion and beyond to ways we can all rethink our approaches to making and owning.
Patrick will be in conversation with jeweller and sustainability advocate Jos Skeates, Co-Founder and Director of EC One, and Charlotte Dew, Head of Public Programmes at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. For Jos, Patrick’s book Less resonated deeply with me because, like most jewellery makers, I believe in creating precious pieces that are made to last, not to be replaced. We share the conviction that things should be bought rarely, worn daily, and treasured for generations, never treated as disposable.’ Together, they’ll explore how the changing tide of the fashion industry can inform and be related to the challenge of a fair and sustainable jewellery industry.
After the talk, Patrick will be signing copies of his book Less, available to buy on the evening.
FAQs:
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Who is our speaker?
Patrick Grant has a lot to say about clothes: how many we buy, how we value them, what they’re made from, and importantly, who made them and where. His campaigning clothes brand Community Clothing supports local clothing and textile manufacturers across the UK, and Patrick is an outspoken advocate for radical change in the fashion industry. He is a regular on TV and Radio, being best known for his role on the hit BBC series The Great British Sewing Bee. His new book LESS, was published by Harper Collins in May 2024 and was an instant Sunday Times bestseller!
Instagram: @patrickgrantism