Interview. Fashion Design Graduate

B R A D L E Y S N O W D E N The talented fashion design graduate speaks about the fashion student’s life, offers advice and discusses challenges of a design career post university.

INTERVIEW MELISSA RAMSDEN

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BRADLEY

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SNOWDEN “I was told I had too many toggles on my duffle coat!”

B R A D L E Y S N O W D E N Talented fashion design graduate speaks about the fashion student’s life, offers advice and discusses challenges of a design career post university.

Tell me a bit about how you ended up studying fashion design?

I knew I wanted to go into design when I was at school. I got bored of designing coffee tables and lamps; I felt I could relate to clothes much more.

I decided I wanted to go into clothing design as a whole because I wanted to do something where I could make some kind of difference. Something sustainable. Fashion seemed like it had the furthest way to go in terms of sustainability.

Since then I may have lost that vision and have realised that it is generally only large companies who are able to make such an impact.

What were your first creative influences?

I guess being pushed to looking at artists in school. The likes of Francis Bacon. Pretty much weird, wonderful, messed up art. From working in my Dad’s retail shop I became more inspired by sportswear and watching things on TV, such as crazy snowboarding stuff and football kits.

Did you always wanted to do fashion design? & What led to you studying at UCA? My foundation tutors recommended it because you get really good tuition. I was scared of moving down to central London but Epsom meant I could easily visit London all the time. I heard it was a really good course - especially for menswear.

How would you describe your design style?

Functional with heritage.

You recently completed your fashion design degree, did your time at university prove beneficial?

Yeah, I learnt everything really. Everything I now know was pretty much learnt during university.

How do you feel that you have evolved as a designer during this process?

Well basically you start out as a novice, no one really

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FINAL knows what they’re doing. So I now know how to be a designer and then I worked out my own style. A year on from graduating I would say I’ve evolved again but I’m confident now. I’ll quite happily be self-directed.

Did you undertake any work placements? How did these benefit your development?

I did one at the end of my first year at William Richard Green. It’s a cool East London designer with a minimal budget, which meant it was really hands on. Then a year later I did the complete opposite and worked on Savile Row with a university competition that I won for Hardey Amies.

So I got to be around a really professional design set up that’s globally recognized. It was already greatly expanding as a company so I got to see ready to wear catwalk stuff. It showed me how professional designers’ work in reality; in comparison to conceptual projects at university.

What were your final collection inspirations?

The wilderness in Yosemite National Park combined with the early mountaineering equipment of a 1952 exhibition.

Seeing your designs go down the runway at Graduate Fashion Week must have been special.

Yeah, that was the best part of university. Though, I was disappointed to not reach the final show. I was told I had too many toggles on my duffle coat!

If there was a piece of advice you could give your third-year self, what would it be?

I should’ve taken a year out for my final year. I should’ve done more placements in that time, as it is harder to do so post-graduation.

Would you like to start up your own label or would you prefer to work in design for another company?

If get to know the right people and make good contacts, I would love to eventually have my own label. But I think its virtually impossible to make a living from that as a recent graduate. For now, ideally I’d like to work my way up within a big company and try to affect them and how they operate with regards to topics such as sustainability.

Tell me a little about your most recent ventures in industry?

Currently I’m involved in collaboration with an illustrator friend of mine. We are creating a denim jacket that is going to have an illustrated lining. Hopefully the outcome will be something unique that will strengthen my portfolio. Also I am working some motorcycle jackets for a

INTERVIEW brand who are launching in India for a big retailer over there. before that I did another series of motorcycle jackets for the western market which will be launching any time soon.

What do you have lined up for yourself in the next 12 months?

I’ve got these project ongoing.

In your opinion, what is it that makes the fashion industry so interesting?

It’s very individual. It is always changing and the pace of this is a bit annoying to be honest.

I think the difference between having style and being fashionable is always a weird comparison. I find it quite intriguing how sometimes when someone follows fashion too much it can often make them look so eccentric that you don’t really know what to think of them. Everyone can relate to fashion. To a certain extent everybody has a certain look of fashion they just care about it in different amounts.

Noone looks the same in the same pieces.

An obvious question, but it’s always interesting to ask, who are your favourite fashion designers?

A friend of mine, Vidour, is probably my favourite. For no biased reason. He’s a recent graduate, who concentrates on really minimal, scandanavian inspired design. Crossing utility and function, which is similar to what I do.

Sometimes I am more inspired by the brands I follow, like Levis vintage or heritage menswear/workwear brands.

Really rejuivinate past eras in a cool modern way. their branding as well makes them really desirable.

Any last advice you would give to someone entering the industry?

Really do your best in your final year because you’ll never get to spend that amount of time on your own work. It will be very difficult to find the same levels of motivation again.

Bugger the hell out of your tutors to ensure you get the most out of them. get some contact and keep those to reign in favours when you graduate.

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http://bradleysnowden.portfoliobox.me/final-collection---yosemite---wilderness---enduring https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/bradley-snowden/27/b54/984