Sophie
Watson

What made you choose to study at NTU?
“I chose to study at NTU because my course had a good reputation, I had met past students who had strongly recommended it to me, and I loved the city when I came to the open days.”

Can you tell us a little bit about your exchange experience?
“I studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York for four months as part of the university’s exchange programme. I was worried about being so far away from home, but it forced me to be independent and I made some amazing memories. You really learn a lot about yourself when you’re outside your comfort zone, and this trip has definitely made me want to venture outside of mine a lot more.

"The highlight of the trip for me was getting to know the city like the back of my hand and experiencing New York as a resident and not a tourist. I would recommend doing an exchange trip to anyone, it doesn’t particularly matter where you’re going, experiencing and immersing yourself in another culture for several months is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”

What do you enjoy most about your course?
“I enjoy how it covers so many aspects of fashion design, and I feel like I’m learning a huge variety of different skills to help me in the future.”

Has the course included any live briefs?
“NTU is great at providing us with opportunities via live briefs and industry competitions.  I recently participated in a competition to win a placement at Old Navy in San Francisco, there was also an opportunity to win a placement with GAP in New York. We are set a brief and independently have to research and design a collection for the company.”

What do you think about the course staff?
“I think they’re amazing, they’re always really supportive and on hand to help. I know that I can always turn to them if I need anything.”

What do you think of the facilities available to you?
“We have excellent facilities. There are rooms full of sewing machines and each year group has their own room for workshops which is really nice.”