BA (Honours) Fashion Design graduate Sarah Thompson went from presenting at Graduate Fashion Week to showcasing her work at London Fashion Week's Positive Fashion Exhibition.

She officially launched her sustainable brand TOM-O in March 2021 and quickly secured a 5-week pop-up at Selfridges flagship store on London’s Oxford Street. In February 2022, she opened her first store in Leeds Corn Exchange.

“During my time at Sheffield Hallam, I had access to a wide range of equipment and facilities, which helped enhance my learning experience. We were encouraged to explore all of the available options and given inductions on different machines and equipment, which allowed us to push our creative boundaries and develop new skills.

“We also had numerous opportunities to apply our learning, such as workshops, projects, placements, events, field trips, and guest lecturers. I took an internship year, which was hugely valuable to me, and we had the chance to work on a live brief with Ted Baker, which gave us insight into designing for an established company.

“After completing my degree, I started my own sustainable fashion brand called TOM-O. TOM-O takes unwanted fabric and clothing and creates bespoke patchwork pieces, all with sustainability at the forefront.

“All the technical skills I developed during my time at Sheffield Hallam have been crucial in creating the clothes for my brand, from pattern cutting to sewing. Additionally, the sentiment and attachment we have to our clothing, which I explored during my studies, has been a huge inspiration for TOM-O.

“Thanks to my time at Sheffield Hallam, I feel well-equipped to tackle whatever comes my way.”

View Sarah’s work and follow her journey on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Follow the Department of Art and Design on Instagram and TikTok to see what innovations and creations our students have been working on. For content directly from our BA Fashion Design students, please visit the Sheffield Hallam Fashion Collective on Instagram.