Lydia Oosting

Since graduating in 2018 Lydia has secured a role as head designer at luxury streetwear brand, Only the Blind in Shoreditch. She works closely with the director on every step of the design process and on a typical day, she might be CADing new designs, illustrating artworks or meeting manufacturers to refine samples.

What initially appealed to Lydia about Ravensbourne was the emphasis the Fashion course placed on preparing its students for industry, whilst encouraging them to develop their own creative expression.

During the course, she had the chance to learn all the skills needed in the fashion design process; from research development through to promoting the final product. The breadth of the topics covered on the course helped her to understand the fashion industry as a whole and to consider which area she was most passionate about.

One of the biggest advantages for Lydia of studying at Ravensbourne was access to its state-of-the-art facilities. Commenting on this she said: “Any fashion student will tell you that you should spend all your waking hours on campus. If it were completely up to me, I would have spent all of mine in the prototyping rooms”.

The prototyping suite gave her access to an array of fabric printing facilities as well as laser cutters and 3D printers. She loved experimenting with different mediums as not only did she enjoy the process, but it also made her familiar with the types of technology she would encounter in industry.

Along with the access to facilities and technical skill development, Ravensbourne also helped Lydia to develop a strong portfolio of work. Commenting on this she said: “Ultimately, it was that portfolio that got me the role that I’m still in today”.

Lydia’s advice to future fashion students is to be prepared to face challenges and to persevere. Finally, remember to make use of all the opportunities, support and facilities that Ravensbourne has to offer.