Mila Sullivan, alumni of Graduate Fashion Week and Pratt Institute, is the creative designer utilising and reinventing textiles, championing passion and sustainability. Now exploring the potential of collaboration, we caught up with the emerging designer to hear how she found working at Jill Stuart, and how she's avoiding boredom through the freelance life...
Which university did you attend, and what is the most valuable thing that you learnt there?
I attended Pratt Institute and graduated last May 2017. I think the three most important things I learned there were necessary technical skills in sewing and patterning but more importantly how to think outside the box and approach design in more experimental ways. At Pratt I found a love for draping on the form and deconstruction opposed to typical patternmaking.
Tell us a bit more about your career journey since showing at Graduate Fashion Week.
It felt amazing to see my designs walk down the runway at Graduate Fashion Week. Its such a rewarding experience to see a years worth of hard work showcased in such a beautiful and professional environment.
After showcasing at Graduate Fashion Week I worked as a designer at Jill Stuart for a few months and now I am working on some freelance projects as well as continuing to create my own work.
Many say that the industry is undergoing a huge change, with sustainability, diversity and responsibility becoming huge themes. Do you have any opinions on these movements?
In my work I like to use old vintage fabrics often home good fabrics like bed linens, curtains or even dishrags. I love the idea of giving something that has been discarded or tossed out a new life, a piece of fabric that has its own history in a sense.
To any students that are reading this in admiration of your career-what advice would you give to the students hoping to showcase this year?
I think my advice would be to stay true to yourself in your designs but also donʼt be afraid to push your creativity and passion.
Tell us a bit more about your career journey since showing at Graduate Fashion Week.
The most exciting project I've worked on so far is a collaboration with one of my good friends and fellow designer Allison Martell. Collaboration wasnʼt something we did much is school so its really great to meld our two aesthetics. We are continuing to collaborate and are currently reaching out to stores for sales.
Where are you hoping to be in five years time?
In five years time I hope to be able to continue designing for myself as well as doing freelance within the industry. I get bored easily and love hard work so its great doing a bunch of small projects at once.
Interview by Annabel Waterhouse-Biggins