Q&A

N BROWN CATWALK TEXTILES AWARD | CHLOE JACKSON | NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE NAMED AN AWARD WINNER?

Winning the award came as a massive shock to me. I was thrilled to make it to GFW let alone win the N.Brown catwalk award. I have put in so much time and effort into my collection so it was a really amazing feeling to finally have all that hard work recognised at such a prestigious event.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE GFW?

It’s been a busy few months with job interviews and press releases resulting from the exposure I gained at GFW. Within a couple of days of finishing university I managed to secure a freelance job in womenswear design for a short term position. I’m now ready for a short break after a non stop year and head off to Thailand for three weeks to explore and relax before coming back and finding myself a permanent job in womenswear design. So if any potential employers are reading this then please get in touch!

WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE?

In an ideal world I would love to hopefully own my own fashion label but that takes a lot of time and experience to do so. Until then I hope to build my contacts within the industry and hopefully work my way up in the fashion business as a womenswear designer.

HAS BEING INVOLVED WITH GFW LED TO ANYTHING ELSE?

Being involved with GFW has been such a big stepping stone for the advancement in my career. Getting exposure has led to several magazine companies getting in touch alongside employers for job interviews. I know the experience will stand me in good stead for the future especially as it is such a competitive industry to work in. Without GFW I would never have gained so much exposure which is so vital for young designers looking to break into the industry.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT GFW?

I’ve known about GFW from my first year at university after helping the final years dress backstage. Since that day I always set myself the challenge to showcase my work at Graduate Fashion Week.