Nikitha moved from India to London to further her knowledge and study MA Global Fashion Retailing, after gaining work experience as an assistant designer and senior fashion merchandiser. We speak to her about her experience of studying at UAL during the Coronavirus pandemic, her tips for other students from India looking to study at UAL, and her future career goals.
Find out more about studying at UAL as an Indian student.
Can you tell us a bit about what the MA Global Fashion Retailing course entails and your experience so far as a student?
MA Global Fashion Retailing is one of the only specialised brand strategy programmes. This course helps bridge that gap between innovation, creativity and management. We get to explore and examine retail strategy and operations, internationalisation, brand management, consumer insights, responsible retailing, retail analytics, omnichannel retailing and creative retail futures, with a focus on sustainability, innovation and disruption within the retail business. I have gained a lot of knowledge by studying this course. It is a continuous learning process by indulging in reading academic journals and articles to know what is happening in fashion retail globally.
It also helps you develop skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving and decision-making through independent judgment and critical self-awareness, working effectively both individually and collaboratively as a team.
My work experience as an assistant designer and senior fashion merchandiser helped me apply for the course. Coming from a creative background, I was seeking to understand the analytical and strategic side of fashion retail.
Where did you gain your work experience before joining the MA?
After graduating from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in 2016, I applied to intern at a design house to understand more about womenswear. During my internship, I was offered a permanent job as an assistant designer for the brand Shriya Som. I worked for three years as an assistant designer and senior merchandiser for the brand.
Whilst working for Shriya Som, I gained knowledge and experience in the process of organising events like The Fashion Week; and organizing & coordinating trunk shows & exhibitions throughout India and abroad. I also managed styling requests for celebrities, fashion influencers, fashion media and magazines; managed stock movement between stores and Shriya Som; maintained line sheets and price updates for all merchandiser movement, and managed and coordinated campaign shoots and lookbook shoots.
Through this work experience, I developed excellent professional skills like fashion forecasting, product life cycle management, merchandising, fashion buying, product marketing and product development.
You said you studied your undergraduate degree at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in India. What did you study and how does this background inspire your current work?
Ever since I can remember, fashion has always been my passion and a big part of my life, and I plan on making it my destiny as well. The fashion industry has always piqued my curiosity. I am deeply fascinated by the creativity and innovation involved.
Fashion according to me is inherent but is different in everybody. It is a unique sense of style which everybody is born with but few can express. It is an expression of oneself.
It does not have to be just about clothes, it permeates through every orifice of life: that is, how one speaks, walks or carries oneself in the presence of others.
My desire and fascination in the field of fashion helped me pursue my Bachelors in Knitwear Design & Technology, which equipped me with in-depth technical and conceptual clarity and the methodologies to study effectively by using problem-solving and research skills. My undergraduate degree helped me study the ever-changing trends in the fashion industry, achieve the technical skills to analyse and execute a design, and develop professional practice in the industry.
After studying in India, what are the main differences you have noticed studying in the UK?
In my opinion and experience thus far, I feel students in UK universities are assessed in a manner that is entirely different in comparison to Indian Universities.
India's higher education system has different ways of teaching. The Indian curriculum is strict, objective, and learning-based. Being an Indian student, it was initially difficult to adjust to several aspects of UK universities. Extensive reading and referencing are central to our assessments at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London (UAL). Also, attending all timetabled lectures is compulsory, including any personal tutorials.
Group discussion and thought-provoking conversations were incredibly new for me in seminars and tutorials, but ultimately it has strengthened my confidence and enhanced my communication skills.
Due to the current pandemic, you have experienced a different way of blended learning. How have you found the move to purely online learning after the government regulations came in?
I was sceptical about online learning because, as a design student and assistant designer, I am used to practical and in-person classes and networking with people. However, UAL has provided such quality online learning classes which, in my opinion, have made it worth studying during the pandemic.
The support provided and the quality of education is not compromised at all. We have digital workshops, online industry talks, digital cafés etc. We are still provided with what the students received pre-pandemic but the only change is the mode of delivery.
Still, I am eagerly waiting to go to University and visit the library!
Why did you want to study in London and at UAL specifically?
Studying at London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL has been my dream since my undergraduate days. While doing my research I came across LCF and was completely intrigued. I kept myself updated with the LCF social media pages and the website about the courses and various events held at UAL. A few of my friends studied at LCF and hearing them talk about the quality of education further pushed me to apply for my masters.
Can you tell us a bit about your application process?
I decided to apply for UAL in February 2020. With the help of my friend who graduated from LCF, I got in contact with Envision, the official representative in India for UAL. The process was very smooth. They briefed me on the application process via phone call and email and I was asked to get my documents ready for the course I was applying for.
Due to the pandemic and lockdown across the world, I did not get a chance to attend in-person meetings, however, UAL and Envision arranged multiple webinars which were very helpful. It gave me an opportunity to interact with UAL representatives and clarify any doubts.
The study proposal is an important part of the application for graduate study. Do you have any tips for prospective students on putting together their study proposal?
The study proposal is indeed an important part of the application. Having a clear idea of which course you are applying for would be the first step towards your application. My advice would be to get a thorough understanding of the course and to do some research. Reading articles and journals would be beneficial when writing your study proposal. A study proposal should be related to the course you apply for and works like a portfolio to support your application.
Has your proposal evolved during your course so far? If so, how?
When I prepared my study proposal I believed I would be continuing and developing on the same topic which I chose for my application. However, with further exposure to the course, interactions with industry speakers and with the ongoing changes in the fashion and retail industry, I decided to change my topic of dissertation.
What are your career aspirations once you graduate from MA Global Fashion Retailing?
Working in London, one of the fashion capitals, has always been my dream. I aspire to be a Brand Strategist. I am currently working on my cover letter and CV post which, I will be applying for help from the university’s career services.
Finally, what would your advice be to other students in India considering studying at UAL? Do you have 3 top tips?
- My first tip is to obtain clarity on the course that you are interested in and to further research the course on UAL's website.
- My second tip would be to attend webinars conducted by UAL to help you understand the University better. It gives you a chance to clarify any doubts regarding the course or any related information.
- My third tip would be to continuously work on your portfolio and avoid doing this last-minute, right before applying. Putting together a portfolio that shows your best work in limited pages requires time.