Lidia Santos

Lidia Santos graduated with a First in BA (Hons) Advertising and Brand Design in 2020. While she was at Ravensbourne, she won a Creative Conscience Awards, for her piece titled 'Through the Clutter'. The awards recognise students and graduates from around the world for their positive social impact designs. Lidia now works as a mid-weight designer at HYPEBEAST, a leading online destination for men's contemporary fashion and streetwear. 

Could you tell us a bit about what you have done since graduating - where are you working and what does your typical day look like?   

Since graduating, I've always tried to stay on my toes to make sure I am in the best position I can be. I dedicated a lot of time to improving my portfolio and enhancing my networking skills. 

After graduation, I landed my first job at a small agency as a junior designer for seven months. Then, I received an offer to work at HYPEBEAST as a designer, and that's where I am working now as a mid-weight designer.  

The days vary a lot, and truly no day is the same. There's a lot that goes into it, but I mainly I work on design proposals, connecting with the wider team, and responding to creative briefs.  

What initially appealed to you about Ravensbourne and your chosen degree?   

The atmosphere of the university from my very first day made me feel welcomed and relaxed. I felt like I could be creative in any place across the building. 

The course itself really focused on my preparing students for the future. I don’t think you would find that at another university.  

What do you think you gained at Ravensbourne that you wouldn't have had studying somewhere else?   

I found the tutors of my course had extreme dedication and love for the subject, and truly pushed us to think in unusual ways. I think this is quite rare. 

What were your highlights from your time at Ravensbourne, both personally and professionally?   

There are so many to mention, so here are a few that spring to mind: 

Personal highlights: 

• Seeing my work on The O2 screens 

• Attending a Rave Lates presentation by one of my favourite photographers, Martin Parr 

• Seeing my name and projects on the Barbican's auditorium screen on graduation day

Professional highlights: 

• Being part of the winning team of the One Club For Creativity, back in 2018 – We won a brief for McDonalds with an idea which they later used in one of their ads 

• Winning a Creative Conscience Gold award for my final project  

How did Ravensbourne help you to achieve your professional goals?   

Ravensbourne helped me professionally in countless ways, but the most important one was that it allowed me to see my potential. 

All the networking events that I attended while at university have been of great help. They gave me the chance of explore other fields and to meet industry leaders that I've always admired. 

What was student life like? 

Life as a student was very busy and on-the-go. I always felt there was a buzz around what would come next.  

I put a lot of energy into putting out the best work that I could, and I was always preparing for my future.  

I always made sure I balanced my time, so I had space to relax and spend time with my friends too. 

Were you working while you were studying? What did you do? 

I worked throughout the duration of my course in part-time jobs, from small coffee shops to Nike. While I worked at Nike, I got to connect with other designers and worked on collaborations for the brand.  

What is your advice to prospective students?  

My advice to any future Ravensbourne student is to always be itching to learn. Also, I recommend being as proactive as you can and to see opportunities in every situation.