BA (Hons) Fashion Design graduate, Hattie Crowther, has her own label specialising in sustainable fashion and is now a fashion tutor at Sheffield Hallam. She has made clothes for Daisy Lowe, Jess Woodley and Jorja Smith, and her designs were shown at London Fashion Week. 

‘My favourite part of the course was the design process itself. Starting with a concept, undergoing thorough research and turning my 2D ideation into 3D form. On the course, I was taught exactly how to document my creative process and replicate what I envisioned in sketchbook, serving me well in my career as this is exactly what they look for in a candidate.’

‘Sheffield Hallam supported me in many ways, both academically and personally. The tutors and technicians share a special bond with their students which is not the case at every institution. They not only help you progress with your work, but they help you develop as a person and young creative.’

In her final year at Sheffield Hallam, course leader Lee Harding and lecturer Nathan Jones supported Hattie’s final collection by putting her forward for the British Fashion Council (BFC) scholarship. After she won, the BFC offered to pay for her masters' degree in London where she refined her focus on luxury menswear design.

‘Many good things came off the back of this; I was asked to represent the BFC as part of the Fashion Awards in 2018, it was a very surreal experience and one of my proudest moments as fashion designer so far.’

Teaching seasonally allows Hattie to focus on her brand in the summer months. Under the current circumstances in the pandemic, she has noticed climate change has been placed on the back burner and has observed many social issues arise throughout this time. 

‘This gave me the opportunity to consider my own thoughts on the fashion industry and how I can start retaining a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable business model, from process to outcome.’ 

Hattie’s latest collection ‘AUTONOMY’ focuses on upcycled corsets, made by using scrap material from second hand Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd jerseys styled over tailored clothing.

Hattie donated 50 per cent of the proceeds from this collection to Voyage Youth – a charity who provide marginalised young, Black people with the motivation and development tools they need to transform themselves and empower their communities.

‘During this time, the media honed in on how Covid-19 was specifically affecting those in the BAME community. I wanted to work with a charity that supports young people within this community and this was the perfect match.’

Hattie now teaches as a fashion tutor at Sheffield Hallam and University of East London.

‘To be asked to come back and lecture at Hallam was an amazing opportunity I couldn't pass up on, the culture and mentality of the team supporting the students is very rare and I love being a part of this.’

‘Being in their shoes not long ago, I feel I can liaise with the students and understand the pressure they are under. The best part of teaching is helping students find solutions to these challenges and seeing them overcome their struggles to succeed.’

‘My best advice for aspiring fashion designers is to find your voice in your art. Our chosen medium is to make clothing, but if you can make people feel something with your work then you are not only a fashion designer but an artist and a storyteller.’

‘If it wasn’t for Sheffield Hallam I wouldn’t be where I am today. My degree opened up lots of opportunities and my tutors kept pushing me on to greater things. If you work hard enough, eventually you are seen!’