Hannah Travis is a BA (Hons) Fashion Design alumna, graduating in July 2024. Her final year project, inspired by her mother, was awarded ‘Most Inclusive Collection’ at the End of Year show. In this blog, Hannah explains what she enjoyed about her course and talks through the work she did for her final year collection.

Course: BA (Hons) Fashion Design

Tell us a bit about yourself, why you chose to study your course and what interests you the most about the subject area?

I am a Leeds Beckett Fashion Design alumna. I have always had an interest and love for clothes since I was little. I enjoyed the freedom of dressing in whatever I wanted and being able to express myself through clothing. I developed a particular interest in fashion styling. I knew I wanted to be able to develop my fashion and sewing knowledge, and being unable to do this during secondary school I decided to use university to explore this. I knew I wanted to go to university and deciding on fashion design was an easy choice for me. 

What were your highlights of the course? 

Being able to work alongside other creatives and having a space to work in is something I found most valuable from my university experience. The course is very social and having a safe environment to work in is so crucial, and the studio as well as my course group definitely provided that.

Also being able to see your work displayed in the way it was at the graduate fashion show was such a proud moment. Everyone who worked on the production allowed for all of us designers to feel the impact of our hard efforts and it is such a nice memory for myself and other designers to look back on.

Can you tell us about your final year collection and the prize you won with Burberry? What did it mean to be recognised for your work?

"Broken Connections" is a collection inspired by my mother, Caroline, who faced unexpected partial paralysis. Through her journey from able bodied to wheelchair-bound, I shed light on the importance of accessible clothing in the fashion world. By showcasing her emotional and physical transformation, I explore the contrast between hiding and embracing newfound confidence. Experimenting with top-heavy silhouettes and figure-hugging designs, I capture the struggle between frustration and acceptance, highlighting the battle between comfort and letting disability define one's abilities. 

Being awarded with the most inclusive collection was such an overwhelming achievement. I had set out to create a collection that had impact and could be spoken about outside of the show and allow people to think more about the selection of clothes out there for wheelchair users. There has been such progress for body positivity within the fashion industry and commercial fashion.

What are your plans for the future?

I hope to find a job within fashion styling, personal shopping or visual merchandising in and/or around London. London has so many connections and opportunities for someone starting out in fashion. 

What would you say to someone who is thinking about studying the course?

Although it is hard work and time consuming, if you have a real interest in designing, crafting and developing clothes then the course is perfect for you. It allows the most creative freedom as well as experience in the fashion industry. With the opportunity to take a year out in industry to develop your portfolio, the course is well supported and guided for your career choices within the fashion industry. There is plenty of equipment for you to choose from to develop your ideas such as screen printing. The staff are also here to support you and your development in other areas too.