Moving to London from her native China, Yuening was excited to arrive in a new and stimulating environment. Between adjusting to life in the English capital and getting to grips with her course in costume design, she’s found plenty to learn and challenge herself.
“Being a student in London, you become part of an exciting multicultural city with so much going on around you. London is fascinating, with so many wonderful museums, galleries and theatres, and it’s full of amazing people.
After I learned about how the costume course at Wimbledon College of Arts (one of UAL’s six Colleges) encourages creativity, I found the idea of studying here really appealing. And with a top international reputation for art education, I believed I could start a new life here at UAL.
Be brave, creative and experimental.
The first costume show for second-year students was a real highlight, and it was so exciting to see the variety of work from across the students on the course. The most exciting part for me, however, was being able to bring a character to life!
I designed and made a costume for Titania, a character in the William Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. From sketch to reality, it was a challenging but exciting process. I’m especially proud to have not only produced the costume, but also the styling, make-up and photoshoot by myself.
I love the Wimbledon area. It is serene and quiet but has easy access to the city centre.
I think the College environment at UAL is very important for my practice. It was challenging to move to London from a non-English speaking country, so I found it helpful to improve my English as much as I could before I arrived.
I love the workshops at Wimbledon. They are all fantastic and the technicians are super nice, experienced and always willing to help. Studying at UAL has played a crucial role in my career preparation, and I now have the knowledge and technical skills I need to enter the creative industry.”
Yuening Jian
BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, Wimbledon College of Arts