We had a chat with current BA (Hons) Fashion Imaging and Illustration student, Victoria Seager, about her experience of the course so far and discussed what she's most looking forward to about life after LCF.
Hi Victoria! How’s everything going? Could you give us a little intro of yourself and where you’re currently at in the duration of your course?
Hi LCF, thank you for having me! Everything is going very well, I am currently in Sydney on summer break from uni. I am a LCF Fashion Illustration student about to start my third and final year of the BA course, which I am both very excited and very nervous for!
What made you choose LCF?
Like many people in creative industries, I have always known that I want to work in fashion, although it took a while to realise specifically illustration. When I finished school I had an offer to study Fine Art and another for Fashion Marketing at LCF, I couldn’t decide so took a gap year to gain some work experience and travel.
When I returned I discovered the Fashion Illustration course, and realised it was exactly what I was looking for, and where I wanted to study — LCF is one of the best places to study fashion in the world.
What line of work are you hoping to get into once you graduate? What are the career options available for someone currently studying your course?
I actually don’t know what I want to do yet, the fantastic thing about this course is you have the opportunity to learn about and access so many different mediums — fashion, art, illustration,animation, film, photography, publishing, advertisement, graphic design and more.
I have tried to do as much work experience, internships and jobs in all different parts of the fashion industry. I am now considering going into graphic design and doing a course or masters degree after graduating next year.
Have you had the opportunity to do any industry placements?
I have just finished a fashion design placement in Sydney, which was fantastic — I learnt so much and would really recommend doing longer internships if the circumstances suit you. The placement was accredited for the course, LCF Careers were so helpful advising me about visas and getting the placement, I also had Skype tutorials with my lecturers as well as writing a digital weekly log book and final report.
Your illustration of Naomi Campbell featured in VOGUE magazine back in February. How did it feel to be featured and how did that come about?
It was amazing, Edward Enninful really champions illustrators and often interacts with us on social media. It came about from The Unique Illustration, which is an Instagram illustration platform/ flashmob movement created by Maria Veronica and LCF Fashion Illustration alumna Alina Zamanova. Instagram is a hugely helpful platform to get your work seen by people who wouldn’t otherwise see it. I didn’t even know I was featured, I was early to uni one day and saw the article, immediately wanted to read it, and there was my illustration – I couldn’t believe it!
What are you looking forward to about the future of the industry?
Illustration never sits still and is never the same. Illustrators are always doing new things in different ways which means that the industry is changing alongside it, there are constantly new opportunities available which is exciting and what I am looking forward to most about the industry, the unknown. If you look for it you will realise illustration is everywhere.
Who are your favourite fashion illustrators at the moment?
I find new illustrators I love every day on social media platforms, but my favourites at the moment are Jacky Blue, Blair Breitenstein, David Downton, Alina Zamanova and always Quentin Jones. This course has taught me to experiment, try different mediums, styles and ways of presenting my work, a part of that is looking at and researching others work for inspiration to come up with your own ideas, my favourite so far being appropriating a fashion magazine as my sketchbook.
As a current student, is there any advice that you would give to someone looking to join the BA Fashion Illustration course?
When I started the course two years ago, I was very resistant to learn the digital side to illustration and leave the comfort of watercolours — now it is the best thing that's happened to my work. I started out teaching myself the basics of photoshop, which turned into trying animation and now I draw every day on my iPad. This course challenges the way you think about and see your work, I would advise to invest in that; all the lecturers are there to offer insight and share their experience to help develop yours. Challenging yourself and experimentation are key to this course, don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. Also, get an Instagram page — it will motivate you to draw everyday and put work out there.
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