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Lydia paget

avensbourne University London

With hands-on experience at respected brands such as Conner Ives Ltd and Tarinii, Oslo, I have gained a strong skill set and experience. While my primary focus is womenswear, my practice often merges traditional womenswear with menswear silhouettes to create a distinctive, androgynous style. My work is frequently inspired by elements of British culture and everyday familiarity, which I reinterpret into contemporary design narratives. My graduate collection centred on accessories and leather craftsmanship-examining the relationship between women and their bags through playful, sculptural silhouettes. I earned my BA in Fashion from Ravensbourne University London, where I developed my creative vision into industry-relevant skills. I am proficient in garment construction, flat pattern cutting, fabric sourcing, and leather craft; with a solid grounding in sustainable practices. My ability to analyse trends, communicate clearly within a team, and adapt quickly under pressure has been consistently sharpened through both academic and industry experience.

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International student design competition

Category: Design*

Competitions: International

This project explores the intimate and often symbolic relationship between women and their bags — objects that go beyond utility to become extensions of identity, memory, and daily ritual. A bag is not just carried; it is worn, inhabited, and relied upon. It is part of a woman’s everyday ‘uniform’, both practical and deeply personal. Central to my design process was an engagement with the language of leather craft — a discipline rooted in precision, patience, and touch. Traditional techniques such as hand-stitching, edge finishing, and structural reinforcement informed not only the aesthetic but also the methodology of my making. I was drawn to the discipline of leatherwork for its sculptural qualities and its ability to convey strength, elegance, and history through form and materiality. Through experimental pattern cutting, I deconstructed and reinterpreted classic handbag silhouettes — the tote, the clutch, the satchel — transforming them into garments that evoke the presence of the bag without literally replicating it. These trompe l’oeil forms blur the boundaries between clothing and accessory, body and object. They invite the viewer to reconsider the bag not as a separate entity, but as something woven into the physical and emotional architecture of daily life.

In association with Arts Thread

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.