Esther Pugh

Dr Esther Pugh is a Senior Lecturer at Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett University and a passionate vintage fashionista. Her recent PhD (Serendipitpously Ludic Spaces), explored vintage fashion fairs and the unique magic they weave in physical but temporary spaces, and introduced 'Spatial Fabric', a conceptual model to extend critical spatial theory and for retailers and other serice providers to better design their spaces. Esther's research interests are fashion retail spaces, charity retailing, secondhand consumption, consumer behaviour, visual merchandising, and the sensory experience of physical stores. She is also researching charity shops, including donating and shopping behaviours, and attitudes to circular fashion.

Prior to entering the academic world, Esther was in charge of visual merchandising for global fashion retail brands, Oasis and Coast. Esther has also run her own vintage fashion business and continues to maintain a keen interest in vintage fashion, the circular economy and sustainable lifestyles.