Kristen Bateman: Study Abroad Fashion Knitwear, Writing for Dazed

We caught up with former study abroad student, Kristen Bateman. Kristen is a writer, editor and global consultant working with brands worldwide.

She came to London to study Fashion Knitwear at Central Saint Martins and since graduating from Parsons – her home University, she has been writing beauty and culture features for Vogue, New York Times, Architectural Digest, Departures, CNN Style, W and many more. Kristen also has a fashion and beauty column for Dazed magazine for which she writes monthly.

What have been your favourite stories to focus on?

I love to write stories the kind of stories that no one else has covered before and also those that tie together fashion, beauty and culture. Whether it's a deep dive on how denim used to be illegal in the Soviet Union thus spurring its popularity with Ukrainian designers today for Document Journal: (Black market blues: How Illegal Denim Became a Ukrainian Streetwear Staple), or a look into whether or not intellectual property exists in the world of beauty for Dazed, I try to write about things that interest me and that no one else is writing about (Does Intellectual Property Exist in the Beauty Community? ).

What course did you study at UAL and why?

I studied Experimental Fashion Knitwear, Textiles and a course called Fashion London. At the time I was studied full-time at Parsons in New York and UAL had a variety of different courses I didn't have access to at Parsons. Plus, I've always loved London and everything related to textiles.

What did you discover while you were in London? Has your experience here echoed in your recent work?

I discovered an extremely vibrant and inspiring fashion, art and beauty scene while in London. Though I am not working with textiles directly, my knowledge of them definitely helps when writing about fashion from a critical standpoint. Funny enough, I was also writing for AnOther magazine at the time and was able to meet my editor at their London office for the first time while studying at UAL.

What sort of things did you focus on whilst you were at UAL?

I focused on learning various techniques in knitwear and textile prints. In all classes, we were inspired to go out and explore and make a journal of our inspirations, which I still have.

What have you been working on recently?

I'm currently working on writing stories for a variety of my publications. I'm also focused on copywriting and consulting for brands - ranging from major luxury brands to emerging designers.