The LCFMA16 season is an opportunity for LCF News to showcase the wealth of talent and diversity from this year’s postgraduate students. MA Fashion Media Production student Helen Woltering is the next up on Graduate Spotlight. LCF News caught up with Helen to talk about her final project, time in London and why she wanted to study MA Fashion Media Production.
MA Fashion Media Production student Helen Woltering is the next up on Graduate Spotlight
Where and what did you study prior to MA Media Production?
Prior to MA Fashion Media Production I studied Media and Entertainment Management at Stenden University, Netherlands. I spent one semester at Michigan State University where I focused on Advertising and PR before I worked for two years at the International Licensing Department at JOY and Cosmopolitan magazine in Munich, Germany.
What made you want to study an MA?
I was experienced in the management side of things but I always wanted to work hands on. I started my own fashion blog three years ago, I then realised I preferred being behind the scenes creating exciting content for people. I have always been a person with multiple talents and passions, that’s why I chose a course that allows me to combine different interests and mediums.
Tell us about your final year project?
I created a digital magazine called ‘Sincerely Yours’ for my final year project. The magazine combines editorial and moving image, the first issue is dedicated to the theme ‘transformation’. The magazine is aimed at coaching young women and helping them reflect on the fast paced world we live in. It challenges young females to see beauty with the eyes of the soul and it treats fashion as a liberating feeling rather than a material possession. It’s a catalyst for change and development, encouraging women to live up to a perfection of their own.
MA Fashion Media Production student Helen Woltering produced a digital magazine for her final year project called Sincerely Yours.
Why did you choose LCF?
London felt like a good place to be! The city is extremely dynamic, experimental, innovative and there is room for up and coming talents. I knew from previous students that LCF strongly focused on networking, for me, this was a crucial aspect when making my decision. Its important not to be limited with your creative freedom because I think this gives students the chance to push boundaries, for themselves and for the market, in order to challenge what’s already out there. UAL also enjoys an excellent reputation world-wide, some amazing designers such as Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney have gone onto successful careers following their time here.
What are your future plans?
I want to be self-employed and have my own business in the future. I want to find a way to combine personal life coaching with fashion, whether it’s through a magazine or through films. For now I am applying for creative direction and art direction jobs. MA Fashion Media Production has allowed me to go into various directions, it’s great to have choices. I also want to produce a second edition of Sincerely Yours, perhaps invest some money into the magazine and see where it goes.
How do you think the course will help you to realise these plans?
Since all the MA courses are very much self-directed, you learn how to be your own boss. I’m now very experienced in managing myself and an entire team of creatives – I think this is the best prerequisite to start your own business. The course also allowed me to establish a huge network. Since fashion is a people’s business and connections are crucial in this industry, networking will get you places.
What do you like most about your course, and what did you find the most challenging?
What I liked most about the course is how open it is, you can go whatever direction you desire. You can focus on film, journalism, new media, installations or a mix of all of all of them if you want to. There are no boundaries and I think this is what makes the course so innovative and so unique. At the same time the freedom is challenging. I remember at the beginning I was absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of choices offered by LCF and London. You have a million options, for me it was hard to pick what I liked best.
What advice would you give to anyone considering studying an MA at LCF?
Because of the amount of choices I mentioned above, I would advice new students to try and experiment as much as possible in the beginning. Once they’ve found a medium or a niche that their comfortable with – stick with it and try to become in expert.
- Find out more about MA Fashion Media Production
- Read more about the MA16 season of events
- Find our more about postgraduate courses at London College of Fashion
- Find out about postgraduate open days
- Meet the graduates in our LCF MA16 Graduate Spotlight series
- Read more about LCF MA16 on LCF News
- #LCFMA16 on Twitter and Instagram