Maryam Alsaei
BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology, 2020
About me
- Fashion Designer, Bahrain
- Studied: BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology (2020)
- Contact me on LinkedIn
About my career
I decided to study in the UK because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. It was my time to be independent, become my own person, gain a different perspective on life, and meet new people and get to know their cultures. After graduating, I founded my fashion label in January 2021. Being a small business owner requires patience and perseverance as I have to wear many ‘hats’ to get the business off the ground and eventually build a team. My responsibilities include designing, sourcing, producing and marketing.
Self-motivation, time management and flexibility are a few of the skills I gained during my studies at Manchester Metropolitan. These skills are now essential during my day-to-day tasks especially since I am my own boss! During my placement year, I interned at Old Navy as a Fabric Research and Development Intern, Eudon Choi as Design and Studio Intern, and JW Anderson as Production Intern. All these valuable internships enabled me to gain first-hand exposure to working in the fashion industry and in the working world. I have developed my personal and professional skills and met many amazing people, and would definitely recommend undertaking a placement year.
I wanted to continue learning and after graduating I enrolled in an online Fashion as Design course offered by The Museum of Modern Art. I developed my critical thinking skills to appreciate fashion design, learn fashion history and its impact, and explore garments through multiple lenses including politics, identity, and economics.
My top tip for students
Identify your strengths and highlight them on your CV, and tailor your application and cover letter for the role. Do not fixate on a certain role, I encourage you to expand your job options and do not be afraid of rejection.
I’m inspired by
Creatives everywhere! Artists, musicians or even strangers on the streets. Professionally, I always found Alexander McQueen and Maison Margiela inspiring for their innovation, technical skills and great attention to detail.
Why I love Manchester Met
I love the friendships I created with my peers and lecturers, and the opportunities and experiences I had including entering design competitions and going on study trips.