Charlotte Dandy

What made you want to study your course at the University?

I was attracted by the academic and creative elements of the course at Leeds as well as the opportunity to complete a year in industry. The fashion design course is heavily focused on portfolio and I was interested in learning how to use Illustrator and Photoshop for design work. 

Leeds is one of the few universities that does not require an Art Foundation course for entry, as well as being a Russell Group University. I was also attracted by the beautiful old Clothworkers building which houses the School of Design and is situated in the main campus. 

What have you enjoyed about studying at Leeds?

I regularly attended the fashion forum talks, where alumni and professionals from the fashion industry come to the university to give lectures on a wide range of topics. It was interesting hearing about people’s careers in fashion, start-up brands and how they had achieved success. There were talks from Caryn Franklin, Sarah Mower and Colin McDowell to name a few.

In second year I started playing Lacrosse, a sport I had not done before. I really enjoyed it and played in the Beginners and Development team. It allowed me to take a break from studying and meant I could achieve a good work- life balance.

Tell us about your year in industry.

I completed a Year in Industry in London, working for 6 months at Erdem in the sample room and 4 months at French Connection in the design studio.
The experience expanded my awareness of the job opportunities that are available in the fashion industry. I came back to university with professional skills, which I felt were invaluable in final year. 
Completing a placement in the sample room and another in the design room allowed me to experience two different areas of the industry. I gained an understanding of the design process at both designer and high street level and implemented this into my final year collections.