Meet LCF’s 2026 Postgraduate Graduation Ceremony student speaker, Tarja De Silva

The most meaningful part of my journey was the final stage of masters project, when I fully immersed myself in research. I had chosen my topic even before applying to LCF, but I never realised how deeply the process would lead me to confront and understand parts of myself. One of the most unexpected moments was finding myself moved to tears while writing a chapter on Sri Lankan culture and the ways Sri Lankan people interact with the British through a postcolonial lens.

The conversations I shared with my tutor and the time spent critically engaging with my work were some of the most memorable and transformative experiences of my postgraduate journey.

You began your journey in undergraduate design and then built experience in lingerie and activewear before returning to study at postgraduate level. What inspired you to come back to education, and how did your industry experience shape your time at LCF?

My time working as a designer in the Sri Lankan manufacturing industry placed me at the heart of the global fashion supply chain. During those years, I became increasingly aware of the power imbalances and shortcomings that exist within the system.

After nearly 10 years in the industry, a combination of chance and circumstance led me to pursue a master’s degree, and LCF had always been a university I aspired to attend. I knew I would be returning to academia as a mature student, but it felt like exactly the right moment. My industry experience enabled me to engage deeply with my research and reflect on how my own experiences could contribute to more sustainable and equitable supply chain practices in the fashion industry.

You’ve shown strong engagement with social justice initiatives during your time at Fashion Business School. How do you see fashion business as a vehicle for social impact?

I have always felt strongly about advocating for voices that are often unheard. In an industry driven by cost and a constant race to the top, human ethics can easily be overlooked. My experience has shown me that fashion business holds real power to influence change, not only through products, but through the relationships and systems that shape the supply chain.

Throughout my studies, I found myself quietly but consistently questioning injustices and reflecting on how business practices affect people behind the scenes. In doing so, I learned a great deal about myself, my culture, and how Sri Lankans perceive their place within a global industry. For me, fashion business becomes a vehicle for social impact when it centres equity, respect, and accountability alongside profit.

Watch Tarja, alongside classmate Nidhi Ghevar, feature in LCF Postgraduate Class of 2025: Fashion Business School Podcast session.

As the selected student speaker for the postgraduate ceremony, what message did you want to share with your graduating cohort, and perhaps with your younger self starting in design?

Being nominated as the student speaker is a huge honour. To my cohort, my message was to create boldly and to be the change our fashion industry needs.

To my younger self, I would say: keep fighting for what you believe in and never give up on those big dreams because there is no “right age” to achieve them.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working as a lingerie and nightwear designer for both licensed and private label brands. Alongside my design work, I teach ballroom and Latin dance at Pineapple Dance Studios while continuing to train for upcoming dance competitions across the UK.

• Watch Tarja’s TikTok on closing her LCF experience
• Find out more on Tarja’s LinkedIn
• Read more LCF Stories
• See work from LCF’s Postgraduate Class of 2025 on UAL Showcase