Rachel Parker-Strak is a Senior Lecturer in Fashion Buying and Merchandising in the School of Materials and teaches on a number of units on the BSc fashion business programmes relating to Fashion Product Development and Fashion Buying and Merchandising, as well as supervising several MSc dissertation students and UG Industrial Placement students every year.

She graduated from Leeds University with a BA Fashion and Clothing in 2000 and has over ten years industry experience gained in fashion design, buying and retail. Rachel gained a PG Diploma in Education in 2012 and was awarded Senior Fellow of The Higher Education Academy in 2020. Rachel has also been nominated and awarded recognition for her teaching , such as Teacher of the Year 2017, 2020  and Teaching Excellence Team Award 2021 for the Fashion Business and Technology Support and Community Team  

Rachel's research, teaching and industry experience is focused around Fashion Product Development, the complex and innovative process that take place in retail that enables the creative ideas to turn into commercially viable fashion garments. Fashion Product Development makes sure we have the right products at the right time and place for the right price and people.