An aspiring designer who wants to take on the industry’s challenges

Why did you want to study Fashion Design?

“In high school I studied in an aesthetic programme focusing on fashion, textiles, and design. It was already during that time that I developed an interest in fashion and the creative process.”

Can you tell me what students do in this educational programme?

“The first year is mostly about trying everything out to create an understanding of what interests you. The courses are divided into smaller projects, which is fun but intense. It's everything from testing different design techniques to exploring material combinations, dyeing, printing, and preparatory techniques and more. In the last course, we create our first collection that is completely knitted.

In the second year, we work with longer projects, such as the specialisation course. It's about doing a deep-dive into a technique and then creating a mini collection that represents the selected technique in several ways.

The last year we have an internship in the first term and then it’s full focus on the degree project that ends with a physical exhibit.”

Why did you choose the Swedish School of Textiles?

“Borås was my first choice! Mainly because of the fantastic machine park available and the large spaces. The university offers the opportunity to create material on site, which gives me as a student a greater opportunity to explore my artistic expression.”

What do you want to do after your education?

“I am very open to what the future has to offer. I want to try to address the challenges this industry faces and work on finding solutions to improve it. I want to work creatively with design, clothing, and business in a sustainable way, but exactly how, I don’t yet know.”

Do you have any tips for those looking to apply to the Fashion Design programme?

“Before I applied, I studied the schools I was interested in, and learned about which students had previously gone there and what they had done. Then I carefully evaluated the options. The portfolios are usually substantial and take a lot of energy, so it's good if you've done your research before you apply.”

Other things that are good to keep in mind:

• Find out how you like to work and which institution suits you and your way of working.
• Talk to students who have completed the educational programme to get an idea of how they work.
• Think more about what you can get out of the university than which one looks most prestigious on paper.
• Plan your time to work on your portfolio so that you have time to finish.
• Have fun along the way!

Text: Annie Klasén, 2020-10-21, Translation: Eva Medin. Photo: Private