The Rev Joanna Jepson of the Church of England is swapping her full-time ministry as curate of St Michael’s Church, Chester, for the glamorous design studios of the LCF where she is hoping her new role will help the church to take a first step into an industry that exerts enormous influence on society.
"The fashion industry has a huge impact and influence on vast numbers in our society," she said. "It has a particularly powerful role in shaping the self-image and views of young people, and it's important for the church to be involved with this type of community. It's amazing that it hasn't had this link before."
Rev Jepson, who has already spoken out on society’s preoccupation with image, will take up her new role as chaplain in September. She believes the church needs to rethink how it tries to relate to popular culture.
"We cannot merely remain in holy huddles in parish churches. It is imperative that there are more of these kinds of chaplaincies that reach into cultural networks and communities, which would otherwise be untouched by the church."Rev Jepson will not only serve Christian students but will rather serve the college’s entire 4,500-strong student body - of all faiths and none.
Jimmy Choo, the shoe designer, welcomed the move by his former college. "I'm a Buddhist, and my faith is a very important part of my everyday life," he said. "I have a spiritual teacher to whom I speak three or four times a week, so I would have welcomed this kind of spiritual support while I studied at LCF."
Frances Corner, the head of the college, said that Rev Jepson’s appointment reflected a more holistic approach to education, adding the hope that the unusual combination of fashion and religion would help to break down prejudices and misconceptions.
"It is important to highlight that fashion is more than just clothes," she said. "The industry can be seen as being just about how tall and skinny you are, but there's more to life than just how you look. Fashion should be able to make you feel good, and spirituality can have the same role. I want to show people that fashion has a serious side, too."
Ms Corner hopes that other fashion colleges in London will follow the LCF’s lead and appoint their own chaplains to provide for the spiritual needs of their students.
The fashion industry is famous for its bratty squabbles and temper tantrums, drug addictions and eating disorders and Rev Jepson will come into contact with many models who maybe hiding such problems at this September’s London Fashion Week.
Rev Jepson stressed that she wanted to help all students with whatever problems they might face.
“I'll have a permanently open door. I want to be like a drop-in service for anyone with questions or problems or those who just want to talk," she said.
