Violeta’s story: From Spain to London, the world's creative heart

For Violeta Gimenez Trigueros, the dream of a career in fashion began at just 11 years old. Growing up in a small town in Spain, she knew she wanted to step outside her comfort zone to make her own way and explore her creative identity.

"London is the most creative city ever. I come from like a small town where everybody knows each other and everything. So I wanted to like step away from that and become someone for myself. So here it's like London has given me an opportunity of being like Violeta... people love me and they like me and they like my work for who I am."

Moving to London brought some initial culture shocks, including the weather and the fast-paced, independent lifestyle of the city. However, Violeta notes that this environment ultimately helped her mature and gave her the freedom to thrive creatively.

Finding her path at Central Saint Martins

After falling in love with the university during a short course, Violeta completed a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design where she initially did a bit of everything– illustration, design, and media.

She then transitioned into her undergraduate degree, BA Fashion Communication: Histories and Theories, which blended her love for writing, history, and psychology.

Studying in London completely shifted her perspective, expanding it far beyond the Western viewpoint she grew up with:

"I had like a very Western view of life and like history and everything. And I had never even realized that there could be a different history... This in London has given me the opportunity of meeting so many people from like different backgrounds... it's giving me the chance of learning from different cultures and being open to different interpretations of life and different ways of thinking."

Life outside the class

Violeta lives with a fellow Spanish student allowing her the comfort of speaking her native language at home, but her broader social circle spans the globe, including close friends from Italy, Iran, and Russia. She values how these diverse friendships challenge the conformity she experienced back home.

"I love that I look so differently to my friends–we dress so differently and we are so different. But that's what makes us learn from each other because we do bring in different perspectives... I've actually realized that what brings us together is our values and how we see life. That's something I find it more valuable than anything else."

Stepping into the industry: a placement year at Victoria Beckham

Violeta has recently started a year-long internship as a Creative Production intern at Victoria Beckham as part of the Diploma in Professional Studies, UAL’s optional industry placement year. In her role, she helps craft the visual world of the brand, working behind the scenes on lookbooks, campaigns, collaborations, and runway shows.

Securing this placement required dedication and proactive networking. Violeta built up professional experience on the side as an assistant stylist and production assistant, then actively reached out to industry insiders:

"I'm very dedicated and very hardworking... I started last summer, seeing other people that had done internships that I would enjoy. So I started texting them and contacted them... Out of one of those, I actually got an e-mail for somebody inside of Victoria Beckham... I had met up with her so she could tell me her experience... It was super nice to then actually be able to like talk to somebody and be like, 'Hey, I've seen this is the job you offer. This is how I can help you out...'"

Violeta’s advice for future UAL students from Spain

To any student sitting in Spain wondering if they should take the leap and apply to University of the Arts London (UAL), Violeta encourages them to see the broader professional scope that an international education provides:

"I would totally say go for it because I feel Spain is not like a country that supports the arts a lot... but I think that's exactly why you should go to UAL and see the world and see everything they have to offer... it opened so many doors for me. And if you should do it in a city, it should always be London."

Find out more about the specialised support offered to applicants in Spain and across the EU.